diff options
| author | nfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org> | 2025-02-04 23:56:49 -0800 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | nfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org> | 2025-02-04 23:56:49 -0800 |
| commit | 468b1e89a062e67e7a75b8e9fab092ad80196116 (patch) | |
| tree | e70beb19e1bafc5651a3a81ac1c98dc27847a401 | |
| parent | 34ad55f61bb4af59fafb55e755f109e3fc11fb00 (diff) | |
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 4 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/50268-0.txt | 3362 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/50268-0.zip | bin | 66101 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/50268-h.zip | bin | 526124 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/50268-h/50268-h.htm | 4865 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/50268-h/images/cover.jpg | bin | 50626 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/50268-h/images/fr.jpg | bin | 62120 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/50268-h/images/ill-053.jpg | bin | 35172 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/50268-h/images/ill-079.jpg | bin | 44908 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/50268-h/images/ill-127.jpg | bin | 55755 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/50268-h/images/ill-147.jpg | bin | 48176 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/50268-h/images/ill-157.jpg | bin | 29241 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/50268-h/images/ill-169.jpg | bin | 66981 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/50268-h/images/ill-179.jpg | bin | 44139 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/50268-h/images/title.jpg | bin | 17262 -> 0 bytes |
17 files changed, 17 insertions, 8227 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..056fb4f --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #50268 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/50268) diff --git a/old/50268-0.txt b/old/50268-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index bed23ed..0000000 --- a/old/50268-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3362 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Troubadour Tales, by Evaleen Stein - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: Troubadour Tales - -Author: Evaleen Stein - -Illustrator: Virgina Keep - Maxfield Parrish - B. Rosenmeyer - Edward Edwards - -Release Date: October 21, 2015 [EBook #50268] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TROUBADOUR TALES *** - - - - -Produced by Giovanni Fini, David Edwards and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - - Troubadour Tales - -[Illustration] - - - - - Troubadour Tales - - _By_ Evaleen Stein - - [Illustration] - - With Illustrations - By Virginia Keep - Maxfield Parrish - B. Rosenmeyer & - Edward Edwards - - Indianapolis - The Bobbs-Merrill Company - Publishers - - - - - Copyright 1903 - The Bobbs-Merrill Company - - July - - _Printed in the United States of America_ - - PRESS OF - BRAUNWORTH & CO. - BOOK MANUFACTURERS - BROOKLYN, N. Y. - - - - - To My Mother - - - - - Contents - - - THE PAGE OF COUNT REYNAURD 1 - - THE LOST RUNE 27 - - COUNT HUGO’S SWORD 76 - - FELIX 132 - - - - - Troubadour Tales - - - - - THE PAGE OF COUNT REYNAURD - - HOW HE EARNED THE FAVOR OF KING RENÉ - AND WON A SILVER CUP FOR CLEVERNESS - IN THE LATIN TONGUE - - -“PIERROT! Pierrot! are thy saddle-bags well fastened? And how fare my -lutestrings? Have a care lest some of them snap with jogging over this -rough bit of road. And, Pierrot, next time we pass a fine periwinkle -thou hadst best jump down and pluck a fresh bunch for my Barbo’s ears.” - -The speaker, Count Reynaurd of Poitiers, patted the fluffy black mane -of his horse Barbo, and loosened the great nosegay of blue flowers -tucked into his harness and nodding behind his ears. Barbo was gaily -decked out; long sprays of myrtle dangled from his saddle-bow, and a -wreath of periwinkle and violets hung round his neck; for the Count -Reynaurd was not only a noble lord, but also a famous troubadour. That -is to say, he spent his time riding from castle to castle, playing on -his lute or viol, and singing beautiful songs of his own making. - -In the days when he lived, which was many hundred years ago, there -were numberless such poet-singers strolling over the sunny land of -France, and especially that part which lies to the south and is called -Provence. Many of the greatest of these kept little pages to wait -upon them and carry their musical instruments; and so it was that -Pierrot rode a little white palfrey by the side of Count Reynaurd, and -carried his lute, and gathered the periwinkle for the gay bouquets that -decorated Barbo’s ears. - -It was May-time, and they were journeying through the lovely land of -Provence, which was quite enough to make any one happy, and the count -and Pierrot were fairly brimming over with good humor as they rode -along. They were bound for the old town of Aix, where in those days -stood the palace of the good King René, whom everybody loved. - -Now, King René himself was a troubadour, although he could not wander -about over the country as did the others, but was obliged to stay in -Aix and govern his people. Yet he spent hours and hours every day -writing poetry and making up music for it; and he delighted above all -things to gather about him all who could finger a lutestring or sing a -merry song. There were always dozens of fine troubadours staying with -King René, and he was never weary of adding to their number, and of -seeking out the best in France; and so it chanced he had heard much of -the great skill of Pierrot’s master and also of another noble lord, the -Count William of Auvergne. The friends of each of these boasted that -none other in all France was worthy to be called the champion of the -troubadours. So René had sent messages to both, inviting them to come -and visit him, and to hold a contest of song, saying he would give a -beautiful collar of jewels to the one who sang the better. - -In response to this invitation, the Count William was already in Aix, -having come the day before, after a long journey from his castle in -Auvergne. He was now resting, awaiting the Count Reynaurd, and pleasing -himself in thinking of the glory of winning the jeweled collar; for he -fully expected by and by to carry it off as his prize. - -Meantime, Count Reynaurd and Pierrot trotted gaily along the road to -Aix. The almond-trees were in flower, and from one of them Pierrot had -broken a little switch covered with rosy blossoms, with which he now -and then tapped the flank of his little white palfrey, who would then -kick up her heels and frisk along at a rollicking pace. Pierrot’s own -legs looked lovely in party-colored hose, the right being a beautiful -pearl-gray and the left a delicate robin’s-egg blue; his doublet was of -pink silk embroidered in silver and slashed with white satin; and on -his head he wore a jaunty cap with a long feather. He was a handsome -little fellow, with bright eyes and dark curls, and as gay and lively -as the great black crickets that live in Provence. - -His master, Count Reynaurd, looked very stately in a suit of -plum-colored velvet, with a collar of fine lace fastened with a golden -violet, which he often felt, so as to be sure he had not lost it and -that it was still tightly clasped. For the gold violet was a prize -that the count had just won in the town of Toulouse, whither, every -May-time, all the troubadours used to go and hold great contests, -called the Games of Flowers. At these games each one sang a song, and -the most skillful received prizes, a violet of gold and a rose of -silver being the most wished for. - -So Count Reynaurd was very proud and happy thinking how finely the -violet would serve to clasp the collar of jewels he expected to win -from King René, and he smiled pleasantly when Pierrot called out to him: - -“See, my Lord! are not those the high towers of Aix?” - -Count Reynaurd looked ahead, and, sure enough, far in the distance rose -the city of Aix. They set their horses a-galloping, and in a little -while found themselves riding through its quaint, crooked streets, till -they reached the great square where stood the king’s palace. This was a -very beautiful one, strangely built, with two ancient round towers and -a wide porch with many pillars; all about it was a lovely garden full -of orange and acacia trees, and sweet roses and jasmines clambered over -everything. - -Count Reynaurd and Pierrot dismounted at the palace gate, and were -led into the great hall where sat King René, wearing a blue robe -embroidered in bright flowers. He was an old man, and his hair and -long beard were quite white, but he was gay and happy-hearted as -Pierrot himself. When he saw the Count Reynaurd enter the hall, he -arose from his throne and came down and embraced and kissed him, and -patted Pierrot kindly. For René was not like most kings, who are very -particular to have everybody about them as stiff and uncomfortable as -possible. - -Then presently the Count William, who had been walking in the garden, -hearing of the arrival of Reynaurd, came hurrying in, his own little -page Henri following close upon his heels. He greeted Count Reynaurd -very cordially, for he had often met him at the games of Toulouse, and -the little pages Henri and Pierrot soon became the best of friends also. - -As the day was now drawing to a close, the good old king invited them -all into the banquet hall, where were already gathered numbers of -troubadours, and minnesingers who were the troubadours of Germany. -Some were eating and drinking; some were telling stories or making -up poetry; while still others were playing on all sorts of musical -instruments, and were altogether having the jolliest kind of time. - -Reynaurd and Pierrot were very hungry after their long ride, and so -were glad to sit down at one of the long tables while the king’s -seneschals brought in roasted boar’s-head and venison pasties, and -large baskets of the fine white bread of Provence and of brown -marchpanes, which were nice little old-time French cookies full of -raisins and covered with nuts and poppy-seeds. - -Pierrot waited upon his master very prettily, and then feasted upon -dainties to his heart’s content, all the while listening with delight -to the gay songs of the troubadours and minnesingers. By and by his -curly head began to nod, and he fell asleep while still munching a -marchpane, and slept so soundly that he had to be shaken when it was -time to go upstairs, where a little cot was spread for him close to the -great canopied bed of the Count Reynaurd. - -So the days passed merrily on. But when, time after time, King René -fixed a day for the contest between the Counts Reynaurd and William, -they would plead that they were not ready; for they had grown so lazy -and pampered by the life they led in the palace that they dawdled away -their time in idle pleasure. - -At last the king grew impatient, and declared that he would shut them -up, each in his own room, where they must stay for ten days composing -their songs; and he commanded that then they should appear before him, -and be judged and rewarded according to their skill. - -So Count William and Count Reynaurd were escorted up the palace -stairway to their chamber doors, and each agreed, upon his knightly -honor, which was a very solemn vow indeed, that he would not set foot -beyond his threshold until the day appointed by the good king; and it -became the duty of Pierrot and Henri to bring food and wait upon their -noble masters. - -But these two masters fared differently in their song-making. In -the apartments of Henri’s lord, things went far from smoothly; for, -although Count William was really a very accomplished troubadour, -yet when he found himself shut up and obliged to make a song, not a -word could he write. Indeed, poets declare that this is often the way -with them; most beautiful verses will suddenly pop into their heads, -sometimes in the middle of the night, so that they have to jump up in -the dark to get pencil and paper to write them down before they forget; -while, many times, if they have paper and pen ready, so contrary are -their wits that very likely they can not write a word! And so it was -with the Count William. - -He fussed and fumed, but not even the least little bit of a rhyme could -he make; and the more he wished it, the more impossible it seemed to -become. He strode up and down the room; he snatched his paper and tore -it into bits; and then he scolded Henri till the poor little fellow -tiptoed out in his little pointed velvet shoes, and fled to the garden, -where he sat down under an orange tree, and consoled himself with some -fresh cookies that one of the kitchen scullions brought out to him. As -he crunched down the sugary morsels he now and then flung a crumb to -the pretty goldfishes in a fountain by his side; and then he wondered -what any one wanted to make up poetry for anyway, especially when it -was May-time and one might sit in King René’s garden, and above all, on -a day when King René’s cooks were making sweetmeats. - -Meantime, across the corridor from Henri’s master things were going -on very differently with the noble Reynaurd and Pierrot. As luck -would have it, this count was getting on famously. He had composed a -most beautiful poem, and lovely music by which to sing it, and was -altogether so pleased with himself and all the world that he snapped -his fingers joyously, and fetched Pierrot a playful slap on the -shoulder, crying, “Hey, Pierrot, just listen to this!” And then in a -loud voice he began to sing. - -Pierrot was so delighted that he clapped his hands, and declared he was -quite sure his lord would win the prize, and shame the Count William -into everlasting silence. Then he helped himself to a couple of great -golden oranges from a basket he had just brought to Reynaurd, and -strutted out to air himself, and to boast to Henri of his master’s -superior skill. - -Meantime, Count Reynaurd sang over and over his new song, each time -roaring it out louder and louder, till his lungs fairly ached. - -While all this was going on, the Count William, in a great rage, was -still striding up and down the floor of his chamber, which happened to -be across the corridor and at no great distance from that of the happy -Reynaurd. And, as it happened also, when Pierrot went out he forgot to -close the door behind him—a fact which Count Reynaurd had not noticed. -The door was very thick and heavy, and fitted badly between the stone -walls, so it was not to be wondered at that Pierrot did not manage to -latch it. - -As it was, the loud voice of Count Reynaurd came rolling forth, and -suddenly the Count William, angrily pacing the floor, stood stock-still -and pricked up his ears. - -Now, the count’s ears were famous for being extraordinarily sharp, -and he was also wonderfully apt at remembering anything to which he -had once carefully listened. He knew in a moment the voice of Count -Reynaurd, and then a broad smile crept over his face, and he listened -harder than ever. - -As Reynaurd kept singing over and over again, it was not long till -Count William had the whole song by heart, and then, seizing his own -lute, he began practising it very softly. - -“Ha, ha, ha!” he laughed to himself. “Thou great foolish Reynaurd! -Canst thou never learn how to hold thy tongue? But never mind, I will -play such a trick on thee as will teach thee a lesson thou’lt not soon -forget. Ha, ha, ha!” And then he practised longer, till he knew both -the poetry and music as well as Count Reynaurd himself. - -The next day, Pierrot, still exulting over his master’s skill, happened -to meet Henri in the garden, and asked how his noble lord was getting -on. - -“Oh!” said Henri, “finely. He has just made a lovely new song!” And -with that he hummed a snatch of the melody he had heard Count William -singing, and which he thought his master had composed. - -As Pierrot heard the music he could scarce believe his ears; first he -was speechless with astonishment, but at last he sputtered out: - -“It is not true—it is stolen! That is my dear master’s, the Count -Reynaurd’s!” - -“Pierrot,” burst in Henri, “I would have thee understand that my noble -lord, the Count William, does not steal, and is a far better singer, -anyhow, than thy great Reynaurd!” - -From this matters went from bad to worse, till the two little pages -were just on the point of coming to blows; but, fortunately, at -this point one of King René’s seneschals caught sight of them, and, -hastening up, gave each a sound cuff on the ear, crying out as he did -so: - -“Ho, ye saucy little knaves! Know ye not the good king will have no -brawlers upon these palace grounds? Take that, sirrahs! and see to it -that ye behave more seemly hereafter.” - -The pages being thus forcibly separated, Pierrot ran as fast as his -legs could carry him up the palace stairs, and burst into his master’s -chamber, panting out indignantly: - -“Dear Lord Reynaurd, the wicked Count William has stolen thy beautiful -song and will win the prize! And I tried to stop Henri, and—o-o-oh—” -Here poor Pierrot, still smarting under the cuff from the seneschal, -quite broke down, and was obliged to double his fists very hard and -bite his lips to keep back the angry tears. - -At first Count Reynaurd gasped with astonishment, and then jumped up -in a towering passion. But by and by his wits came back to him, and he -remembered that Count William had always been a good friend of his; but -then his heart misgave him as he remembered, too, that Count William -was a famous joker, and loved a jest above all things. - -The more he thought of it, the more sure he felt that William only -meant in some way to tease him, though he could not understand how -he had learned the song. Just then his eyes fell on the door, that -Pierrot in his haste had left unfastened, as usual; and then it flashed -through Count Reynaurd’s mind how Count William had found out about -the music. Reynaurd, moreover, had no doubt but that, before the king, -William would probably sing the piece as his own,—a thing which he -could easily do, as René had announced that they would be called on -in alphabetical order, according to the names of their domains; and as -Auvergne thus came before Poitiers, Reynaurd knew that Count William -would sing first, and that it would then be hard to make the people -believe that the song was his and not William’s; yet he determined, if -possible, to try in some way to get the better of him. - -He thought and thought very hard for a little while, and then suddenly -he said to Pierrot: - -“Pierrot, dost thou still remember the Latin tongue that good Father -Ambrose taught thee last winter in our castle in Poitiers?” - -The little page assured his lord that he did, for he was really a -clever scholar in the Latin tongue, which both his master and the Count -William understood but indifferently. - -Then Count Reynaurd called him close to his side, and whispered a plan -to him that seemed to please them both mightily. Pierrot at once took -the goose-quill pen that Reynaurd handed him, and after screwing up -his face and working very carefully, he wrote these lines: - - Hoc carmen non composui, - Quod cano, quod cano! - -and this he took great pains to teach his master. - -The next day Count Reynaurd sang his song over again and again, and -Pierrot purposely left the door ajar. Count William noticed that after -every stanza there were two new lines added in another tongue: - - Hoc carmen non composui, - Quod cano, quod cano! - -At first this puzzled Count William very much indeed. - -“Faugh!” he said to himself at length, “that ridiculous Reynaurd is -seeking to give a learned air to his poetry! I dare say he has picked -up those lines out of some old manuscript, and thinks to pass himself -off for a great scholar.” - -Then Count William tried to make out the meaning of the words, which -were fitted into the rhyme of the stanzas in such a way that they -could not well be left out. He studied over them till he thought he -understood them, though, as it turned out, he was quite mistaken. But -as it was a common way with the troubadours to end every stanza with -similar lines, which they called the refrain, Count William suspected -nothing, and set himself to work to learn the new words. - -The time that the king had allowed the rival noblemen was now almost -up, and in two days more the song-contest took place. - -The great banqueting-hall had been beautifully hung with garlands of -flowers and gay banners. At one end of it the king’s throne stood on a -dais, and over it swung a scarlet canopy like an enormous poppy-flower -turned upside down. In the middle of the room were placed long tables, -and in the palace kitchens the cooks were running about busying -themselves preparing the great feast that was to follow. - -By and by King René came into the hall and took his seat on the throne. -He wore a rich robe of purple velvet, embroidered all over in the -brightest silks and gold; after him came a great troupe of troubadours -and minnesingers, some carrying their own harps or viols, and some -followed by little pages who bore their masters’ belongings. - -As the good King René looked at his gay company and the brilliantly -lighted hall and the long tables, his eyes sparkled with delight, and -his heart swelled with joy when he thought of the coming contest; -for he was never so pleased as when thus surrounded by his dear -troubadours, whom he loved to make in every way as happy as possible. - -Then, when all was ready, a gaily dressed herald came into the hall, -and kneeling before the king, and bowing to the assembled company, -announced the coming of the two counts, William and Reynaurd. All the -other troubadours and minnesingers stood up, and King René smiled -graciously as the two noblemen entered, followed by their pages, -Pierrot and Henri, each of whom carried a viol bedecked with long -silken ribbons. - -When the counts had saluted the king and taken their places before him, -he commanded a seneschal to bear in the prize; and so the beautiful -collar of jewels was brought in upon a silver tray and placed on a -carved bench beside the king. Then a herald stepped out, and, lifting -the collar upon the point of a flower-wreathed lance, displayed it to -all the company and announced the terms of the contest of song about to -take place. - -This ceremony was a great deal better and prettier than the customs of -most of the other royal courts of that time. In all the lands except -where King René lived, when the people desired entertainment, they used -to gather together to see contests called tournaments, in which noble -lords tried to overthrow one another with real lances on which were no -garlands. But King René could not endure such barbarous displays, and -so in his palace no one fought another except with pretty verses, and -the best poet was champion. - -When all the usual ceremonies had been gone through, the king called -Count William to step forth first and sing his song. There was a merry -twinkle in the count’s eyes as he took his viol from Henri, hung the -silken ribbons about his neck, and then, after striking a few soft -notes with the tips of his fingers, began to sing, as his own, the song -made up by Count Reynaurd. He went through the whole piece, although -each time when he came to the Latin lines he mumbled them over so that -the words sounded indistinct, and one could not be certain just what -they were. - -When he had finished, the king was delighted, and all the listeners -clapped their hands and wondered how it would be possible for Count -Reynaurd to do better. Indeed, they looked rather pityingly on -Reynaurd, as one already defeated. - -Then, when the cheers had somewhat quieted down, King René commanded -Count Reynaurd to stand forth and take his turn for the prize. Reynaurd -quietly stepped out, and, saluting the king, said: - -“My royal liege, the song to which you have just listened was not the -work of Count William of Auvergne, but of myself, Reynaurd of Poitiers.” - -At this, as Count Reynaurd had expected, every one looked incredulous, -and Count William pretended to be very indignant, and declared that -he had not been outside of his own apartments for the ten days; that -he had not set eyes on Count Reynaurd through all that time; and -altogether he appeared to be terribly angry that Count Reynaurd should -hint that the song belonged to him. - -Count Reynaurd, however, asked but one thing of the king, who readily -granted his request. It was that Count William be commanded to sing the -song once more, and that each time he should sing the Latin lines as -plainly as possible. - -Count William looked somewhat abashed at this proposal, and began to -suspect that a trap had been laid for him. However, he could not refuse -to do the command of King René, especially when it seemed so simple a -thing; and so he was obliged to sing again, and say the Latin words -plainly, all the while very angry with himself because on the spur of -the moment he could think of no other words to put in place of the -Latin refrain, which was so cleverly woven into each stanza that it -could not be left out without spoiling the rhyme. - -The king listened attentively, for, as the Count Reynaurd knew, René -was a good Latin scholar himself; and presently, when the refrain came -into the song: - - Hoc carmen non composui, - Quod cano, quod cano! - -King René began to laugh; and he laughed and laughed till the tears -fairly ran down his cheeks; for what do you think the words really -mean? They mean: - - I did not make this song, - That I sing, that I sing! - -When the king at last managed to stop laughing for a few minutes, he -translated the lines so that every one could hear. - -At first Count William looked very blank; then, realizing how cleverly -the tables had been turned upon him and he had been caught in his -own prank, he enjoyed the joke as much as anybody, and laughed the -loudest of all. Indeed, such a “Ha, ha!” as went up through the whole -banquet-hall was never before heard, and the very rafters seemed to -shake with glee. - -The good king was so delighted with the entertainment that he called -Count Reynaurd and Count William both before him, and taking a hand -of each, he declared that the jeweled collar must be divided equally -between them. He at once ordered his goldsmiths to set to work to make -it into two collars instead of one; which they could very easily do, as -it was so wide and heavy. - -Then the king had a lovely silver cup brought in for Pierrot, because -of his cleverness in the Latin tongue; and afterward the whole company -of troubadours and minnesingers and pages sat down and feasted so -merrily that, years later, when Pierrot himself grew to be a famous -troubadour, he used often to sing, in the castles of the French nobles, -of the gaiety of that great festival. - - - - - THE LOST RUNE - - THE LEGEND OF A LOST POEM AND THE ADVENTURES - OF LITTLE ELSA IN RESTORING - IT TO HER PEOPLE - - - Eery, airy, - Elf and fairy, - Steep me deep in magic dreams! - Charm from harm of water witches, - Guide where hide the hoarded riches - Sunken in Suomi streams! - -As the strains of Elsa’s voice floated up and wandered away among -the cottage rafters, “Bravo”! cried her father; “bravo, little one! -Already thou singest like the April cuckoo!” Elsa, the little Finnish -girl thus addressed, smiled with pleasure, and nestled closer to her -father’s reindeer coat as he proudly patted her fair hair and gave her -an approving hug. - -The two were sitting on a rude bench drawn out from the cottage wall; -and here they had been all the evening, singing snatches of strange -old songs, and toasting their toes at the turf fire that blazed in the -great fireplace. - -It was barely September, but in the far North, the winter begins early -and the winds sweep with a bitter chill across the wide plains of -Suomi, the old name by which the Finnish people love best to call their -land. - -Elsa’s father and mother—the mother was now drowsing over her -knitting, on the other side of the hearth—were well-to-do peasant -farmer folk. They owned the land, called from their name the “Sveaborg -farm,” and the cottage, which was large of its kind; that is to say, it -had two rooms besides the great living-room and the loft. - -One of these extra rooms, however, was set apart for the use of -occasional travelers; for in Finland, through the country, inns of any -kind are very few, and at that time, as now, certain of the better -farm-houses were set apart as places where travelers might be sure of -entertainment for the night at least. As Elsa’s home lay on one of the -main roads, the cottage now and then sheltered one of the few strangers -who sometimes journey through the land. - -The other little chamber belonged to Elsa, who was the only child; -but the main business of living was carried on in the great room with -the hearth. It was a quaint place, broad and low; the walls were -covered with a rough plaster, and overhead the rafters showed brown -with smoke; just below these were fastened two slender poles from one -of which hung festoons of dried herbs, while on the other were strung -a great number of large flat brown rings, which were nothing less -than the family bread for the winter. For the Finnish peasants do not -trouble themselves to bake too often, and they like their bread made -into these curious ring-shaped loaves which they thus hang away until -needed; nor do they mind how hard and dry it becomes. - -On one side of the cottage walls were several large presses where -cheeses were making; and opposite these were two little doors that -seemed to open into cupboards; cupboards, however, where no Finnish -child would ever think of looking for jam or sweetmeats, for, as is the -custom of the country, behind the doors were fastened in the thick wall -two shelf-like beds, where Elsa’s father and mother slept. - -But the chief feature, the heart of all the room, was the great -fireplace; at one side of it was built a huge brick oven, in which -Elsa’s mother baked the queer flat-bread for the family, and sometimes, -when the nights were very, very cold, she would make for Elsa a little -bed on top of the warm bricks, which was always so cozy that the little -girl did not care that it was a trifle hard. - -The broad hearth in front of the oven was also of brick, and this -hearth, as in every peasant’s cottage, was the favorite gathering -place. Here through the long winter evenings, and days when the sun -barely peeped above the horizon, they loved to sit and sing over their -quaint old songs and repeat in verse the strange and beautiful stories -that have been handed down in Finland for hundreds, perhaps thousands, -of years. - -Indeed, all Finnish peasants have always been wonderfully fond of music -and poetry, and, to this day, as in Elsa’s time—which was nearly a -hundred years ago—in almost every house may be found at least one -of the curious harps of ancient shape, which the people make for -themselves out of bone or wood. There are but few peasants who can not -sing some old story to the music of this instrument which they call -“kantele.” - -Elsa’s father was an especially skilful harper, and Elsa herself seemed -to inherit a large part of his passion for music and poetry. He had -made for her a little kantele of her own, and to the soft weird music -she struck from its strings, she sang her little song, - - Eery, airy, - Elf and fairy. - -These lines, however, were but the beginning of a song intended to -charm and overpower the wicked water-witches; for, as all the world -knows, Finland is the home of all manner of fairy folk, of elves and -gnomes and wizards and witches; at least so all Finnish folk declare; -and innumerable are the charm-songs and incantations and marvelous -tales handed down from generation to generation, telling of the witches -and fairies of Suomi. - -Elsa knew a great number of these song-stories and delighted above all -things to learn a new one. But, as she sat by the fire, the warmth at -last made her drowsy; presently the harp fell from her hands, and still -leaning against her father she dropped into a sound sleep. - -The next morning was crisp and frosty, but the sun, rising in a strange -slanting ring, tempered the September chill almost to mildness. Indeed -the sun behaves very oddly in Finland; it was then circling round the -sky in its autumn course, never setting, as in our country, but staying -up a little way all night, and all the while weaving its spiral rings -lower and lower down the sky. By and by it would hide altogether and -not show itself for many weeks. So while the light lasted every one was -making the most of it. - -Elsa was astir early; breakfast had long been over; she had swept the -house with the broom of birch twigs, and was now outside the cottage -helping her mother churn. - -As she pushed the wooden dasher up and down, the wind blew the color -into her cheeks and her hair about her face. She wore a close little -woolen hood, a homespun dress and a long apron embroidered in bright -colors, and on her feet were wooden shoes. - -All at once Elsa’s quick ears caught the sound of wheels. - -“See, mother!” she exclaimed, “there is Jan of the Ohlsen farm; but -who, thinkest thou, is the stranger beside him?” - -Fru Sveaborg shaded her eyes with her hand, and sure enough, saw, -jogging up the road, a pony dragging one of the odd two-wheeled carts -of Finland. As she looked, it turned into the narrow lane of birch -trees leading to the cottage. - -Jan drew rein. - -“Good morrow, neighbor Sveaborg!” he called out. - -Then as the Fru left her churn and came toward them, he said: - -“This traveler is Herr Lönnrot, from Helsingfors, who is journeying -through the country. Last night he passed at our farm and to-night he -would spend at thine. He wishes much to speak with peasant Sveaborg -about certain matters he is seeking to learn.” Then catching sight of -Elsa, “Good morrow to thee, Elsa! How comes the churning? It hath made -thy cheeks red as cloud-berries!” - -Elsa shyly drew near her mother, as the latter greeted Jan, and, -courtesying to the stranger, assured him of a welcome at their home. - -Jan then jumped from the cart to help Herr Lönnrot, who was an old man. -He had a gentle face with kindly blue eyes, and his hair and beard -were gray. He was wrapped in a long traveling cloak, and walked with -a staff. As Fru Sveaborg led the way to the cottage door he coughed -slightly and drew his cloak closer about him. - -Within the living-room, the Fru hastened to set before them fresh milk -and bread, and then she and Jan gossiped a while over farm matters, -while the stranger, who seemed weary, went to rest in the little guest -chamber, which was always in readiness for travelers. - -In the afternoon, as Elsa sat by the fireplace spinning, Herr Lönnrot -came into the room, and seating himself on the bench, began to talk to -her. - -“Art very busy, little one?” he said; “canst thou not sing a song for -an old man? I trow yonder tiny kantele fits thy fingers as if fashioned -for them!” - -“Aye, sir,” answered Elsa shyly, “if thou really wishest, I will sing -the little charm-song I have just learned.” - -With this she took the kantele, and drawing a wooden stool beside the -bench began to sing. Though her voice rose somewhat timidly at first, -presently she lost herself in the music and poetry, and sang many of -the strange Finnish songs. - -As Herr Lönnrot listened to the little girl his eyes brightened and he -smiled with pleasure; and when, by and by, she ceased, he drew her to -his side and stroked her hair. - -He then questioned her carefully about the songs that she and her -father knew, and told her that he himself was even then traveling -through Finland for the express purpose of gathering together all the -songs of the peasant folk, though not so much for the music as for the -sake of the words, which he was most anxious to learn. He told her -further, how, for many years, the great scholars of Finland had been -certain that a great and wonderfully beautiful song-story, a story of -heroes and wizards and fairies, had become broken up and scattered -among the people, just as if some beautiful stained-glass window should -come to pieces, and the different fragments fall into the hands of many -different persons, and be scattered about so that no one could make -out the first picture unless all the pieces could be found and fitted -together again. - -Now the song-story, Herr Lönnrot said, was made up ages before; long -before people had paper or pens with which to write. So the story had -been handed down from parents to their children, who sang it from year -to year simply from memory; for people had wonderful memories in those -days. - -It had begun so very long ago, however, and the whole story was so -long, that the peasant folk had gradually forgotten parts of it; in -some families one part or rune, as the people called it, would be -handed down from generation to generation, and in others, some other -part. - -Now Herr Lönnrot was a physician of much learning, and aside from -his work of healing the sick, he had a great fondness for beautiful -stories. He had spent much time among the peasants especially to learn -such parts of the lost song-story as they might happen to know, and was -now devoting his old age to gathering up as many as possible of these -runes. - -And then, he told Elsa, he intended to fit them together and write them -down so that none should ever again be forgotten, and so that the -whole world might read this great Finnish story. - -“Ah,” said Herr Lönnrot, with kindling eyes, “every one who has love -for old Finland should help save this wonderful song, for ’twill be to -the glory of our nation, even as the songs of Homer have been to the -glory of the Greeks!” - -And in this Herr Lönnrot spoke what is perfectly true: for all wise -persons know that to add a beautiful poem or song or story to the -collection that every nation gradually makes up for itself, is rightly -considered a far more glorious thing than to discover a whole mountain -of gold and diamonds. And so the Herr wished greatly to find and -restore this beautiful scattered story to the poetic wealth of Finland -and of the world. - -He then went on to explain to Elsa that the scholars found these songs -to cluster about three ancient heroes, and of these, one, the mighty -wizard Wainamoinen, was the most powerful of all. - -Here Elsa, who had been listening attentively, smiled. - -“Yes,” she said, “I know many songs of Wainamoinen and the rest.” - -“Of that I am sure,” said Herr Lönnrot; “but there is one rune that -tells of the birth of the harp: how Wainamoinen fashioned the first -kantele from the bones of a magic fish, and how he sang with such -marvelous sweetness that all living things drew near to harken to him. -Of this rune I have heard many peasant-singers speak, but have sought -in vain for one who can teach me the whole of it. And I must find it -before I can complete the story!” - -Here Herr Lönnrot sighed, and dropping his head upon his breast seemed -lost in thought. Presently a fit of coughing seized him; and then he -continued: - -“Dost think, little one, that thy father knows aught of this rune?” - -[Illustration] - -Elsa thought very hard trying to recall the rune; she was obliged to -answer: - -“Nay, sir; in truth he hath taught me many runes about Wainamoinen and -the others, but I know not how the harp was born. But,” she added, -“my father will be home at supper-time; he is helping thatch neighbor -Friedvic’s new barn, and perhaps he can tell thee!” - -“Perhaps,” said Herr Lönnrot. “Thy neighbor Jan told me he thought thy -father knew something of this rune I seek.” - -Even as they talked, a whistle sounded without, and Elsa clapped her -hands joyously. - -“There is my father now!” and bounding to the door she flung it wide -open. As the peasant Sveaborg stepped within, seeing Herr Lönnrot, he -took off his cap and greeted him kindly, for strangers were always -welcome at the Sveaborg farm. - -When the Herr told him why he was journeying through the country, and -of the lost rune he was seeking, Elsa’s father grew much interested. - -“The birth of the harp! Ah, sir,” said he, “I know not the whole rune -myself, but I know of a peasant who does. I have heard him sing it, -and truly ’tis of marvelous beauty! But he is very aged, and odd, -sir”—here peasant Sveaborg tapped his forehead meaningly “and will -teach it to no one else. Even now, I have been told, he is very ill, -and like to die. I know not if thou canst learn aught from him, but if -thou wishest, I will take thee thither to-morrow.” And while they were -busy arranging the trip for the morrow, Fru Sveaborg came in, and with -Elsa’s help soon set out the evening meal. - -As they ate their bowls of _pimea_ or sour milk, which is the chief -part of every Finnish meal, Herr Lönnrot entertained them with -wonderful stories of his travels and news of the outside world, -till all were charmed; and Elsa, especially, thought him the most -delightful traveler their roof had ever sheltered. Her admiration for -him deepened as the evening wore on, for the Herr, though evidently in -feeble health and weary from his journey, yet talked so pleasantly that -all were sorry when by and by he bade them good night. - -The next morning at breakfast, Herr Lönnrot did not appear; but the -family did not think it strange, and supposing him still resting, did -not disturb him. Fru Sveaborg placed some breakfast for him in an -earthen dish, which she set in the oven to keep warm. Then she went -about her work. - -But as the morning passed on, and still he did not come from his -chamber, she became uneasy, and sent Elsa to tap upon his door. As -Elsa lightly knocked, the door swung open, for there are no locks in -Finland, and there lay Herr Lönnrot, motionless, on the floor of the -room! The aged physician had evidently arisen, and made himself ready -for the day, when, overcome by weakness, he had fallen in a swoon. - -Elsa, thoroughly frightened, ran to the living-room, crying out: - -“Mother! Mother! Herr Lönnrot is dying!” - -At this the Fru hastened in, and with Elsa’s help, raised the frail old -man and placed him on a bench; and while her mother did what she could -to make him comfortable, Elsa hurried to the fields to send her father -for the village doctor. - -As it was a long journey to the village it was almost nightfall before -the peasant Sveaborg reached home. - -Meantime Herr Lönnrot had passed from the swoon into a high fever, and -all day his mind had wandered, and he had talked strangely; sometimes -of his home and his journey, but more often of the lost rune of the -magic harp, which seemed to trouble him sorely. - -At last the doctor came, and after examining his patient, said that he -was suffering from the effects of a serious cold, and that he must be -kept quiet and well cared for. - -Then as Herr Lönnrot continued to toss and murmur, the doctor asked -Fru Sveaborg if she knew of aught that troubled him. As the Fru looked -perplexed, Elsa spoke. - -“The rune, mother! Hark! even now he is speaking of it!” - -And as they listened, the poor Herr, who had not the least notion of -what he was saying, exclaimed: - -“The harp! Ah, yes, I must go seek it! the magic harp”—and here he -broke off into low, unintelligible words. - -At this the doctor looked grave, and said that it was a pity that -anything seemed to be on the patient’s mind, as it might make the fever -harder to overcome. He then measured out some medicines, and took his -leave, after giving Fru Sveaborg directions for caring for the aged -patient. - -The next day, under the faithful nursing of Elsa’s mother, Herr Lönnrot -seemed better, though still very weak, and when the doctor again saw -him, he said that with continued good care he thought all would go -well, but that the Herr must not think of going on with his journey for -a week, at least. After this visit from the doctor, Elsa’s father, who -had been waiting at home in case he should be needed, told Fru Sveaborg -that he must go to finish the work he was doing at a neighboring farm, -and as it would take him a day or two, he would stop on the way and -send the Fru’s sister to help her care for the sick stranger. - -When her father was gone, and her mother busy about her work, Elsa drew -out her wheel, and as she sat alone spinning as hard as she could, she -yet found time to think of a great many things. She thought of the -lost rune of the birth of the harp, and of good Herr Lönnrot, lying on -his bed and chafing and worrying with every hour that his journey was -delayed. Then she thought of the peasant Ulricborg, and of what her -father had told of his reported illness. - -“Ah”, said she to herself, “what if he die before Herr Lönnrot can -travel thither! Then the rune may be lost forever, and dear Herr -Lönnrot can never, never finish the beautiful song-story!” The more she -thought about it, the more Elsa became convinced that something should -be done, and that without delay. - -She turned over in her mind a great many plans, and presently an idea -occurred to her that made her smile happily; and, jumping up, she ran -out to where Fru Sveaborg was arranging her milk-pans in the sun. - -“Mother,” said Elsa, “mother, I wish to go to the peasant Ulricborg!” - -“Why, child,” exclaimed her mother in amazement, “what dost thou wish -with the peasant Ulricborg?” - -“I wish to learn from him the lost rune, so that Herr Lönnrot can -finish the beautiful song-story! He may die before the Herr can see -him!” - -“But,” protested her mother, “thou canst not go alone, and thy father -is too busy to go with thee now.” - -“But, mother,” said Elsa, “’tis no such great journey; thou knowest I -went thither once with father in the sleigh two years ago, and truly it -seemed not far!” Elsa did not realize how swiftly a sleigh will speed -over many, many miles. “I shall meet carts on the way, and I can stop -at the Ringstrom farm to-night.” - -Now Fru Sveaborg was a simple soul who had never been far beyond her -own home, and as the child pleaded so earnestly to go, at last she -consented, although somewhat against her will. - -Elsa was overjoyed, and at once made her little preparations to start. -She got a small basket of birch bark and in it her mother placed some -black bread and cheese, a few herrings and a bottle of milk. Then -putting on her thick woolen cloak and hood, and taking her kantele in -one hand and the basket in the other, off she started. - -Fru Sveaborg bade her good by. “Be careful, child!” she said; “keep to -the highroad, and be sure to stay to-night at the Ringstrom farm!” - -“Good by, mother!” Elsa called back, “and do not fear for me; I know -the way!” - -With this she tripped down the lane of birch trees and turned into the -road to the east. By and by she was overtaken by a little Finland pony -trundling along a two-wheeled cart. As the driver of the cart happened -to be a young boy she knew, she was glad to climb in beside him. -They rode thus for a number of miles till they reached a cross-road -where Elsa’s friend told her he must turn off; so she jumped out, and -thanking him for her ride, bade him good by and trudged on along the -highway. - -Presently she began to feel hungry, for it was long past noon, and -looking about, she saw a pretty tuft of green moss under a tall birch -tree; and sitting down, she opened her basket and ate some of the -contents. She thought she would rest a little while before going on, so -she wrapped her cloak close about her and leaned back against the birch -tree,—till—by and by—her eyes began to blink and blink, and before -she knew it the little girl was sound asleep. - -She did not know how long she slept, but at length, just in the midst -of a beautiful dream about magic fishes and harps and wizards, she gave -a shiver and waked up. - -She rubbed her eyes for a minute, and involuntarily drew her cloak -closer, for it had grown chilly. - -At first, as Elsa gazed around, she thought she must still be asleep -and dreaming of cloudland! But presently she realized that she was not -in the clouds, but in the midst of a dense fog, such as often comes -up in Finland without warning, and covers up the fields and woods as -completely as any cloud might do. - -Now, being a Finnish child, Elsa’s first thought was of the hobgoblins -and prankish fairies of the fog who, as every Finlander knows, float -about in their mantles of mist seeking to do mischief to unwary -travelers. - -So Elsa at once began to sing in a high, clear voice a little -charm-song; not the one she had sung in the farm house to Herr Lönnrot, -but a song intended especially to ward off the wicked fairies of the -fog. It began like this: - - Fogs of Finland, - Floating inland, - From the fairy-haunted sea, - Have a care now, - See ye bear now - No unfriendly folk to me! - -As Elsa sang she cautiously stepped along, she knew not where; till, -faintly through the thick shrouding mist, there came the soft tinkle, -tinkle of a little bell. Listening, she knew at once that it must be -fastened to the collar of some cow, for such bells in Finland are very -sweet-toned and clear. - -Sure enough, in a little while she heard the trampling of hoofs, and -the whole herd, drawn by the sound of her voice, was thronging about -her. - -But Elsa was used to the herds on her father’s farm, and was really -glad to feel the warm breath of the gentle little Finnish cows. As the -leader came close to her she put up her hand and patted its nose; then -slipping her fingers through the narrow leathern strap from which the -bell hung, she walked along beside the cow. - -This proved to be the very best thing she could have done; for the herd -was going home, and the cows seemed to know their way instinctively, -even in spite of the white fog. - -They walked thus a long way, till after a while the fog began to lift -somewhat; and though it was growing dusk Elsa could distinguish the -outline of a comfortable-looking farmhouse. It was not the Ringstrom -farm, where she had expected to pass the night, but a strange place -that she had never before seen. The usual lane of birch trees led up to -the house, and behind it was a long, low barn, whither the cows seemed -to be directing their way. - -As she walked along beside them she was thinking of what she had best -do, and she found herself very much perplexed. In truth she had set -out upon a very difficult errand for a little girl, and had good Fru -Sveaborg had the least idea of the distance or possible dangers of the -journey she never would have given her consent; while had Elsa’s father -been at home,—but then it is useless thinking things might have been -managed differently. Meanwhile there was Elsa trudging along in the -midst of the herd, wondering much who were the dwellers at the farm, -and, on the whole, not a little frightened. - -By this time she had a pretty definite idea that she had started on a -rather reckless undertaking, and she fancied that perhaps the people at -the farm might think so too, and would not allow her to go farther; and -as she was determined at any risk to reach the peasant Ulricborg and -save the rune, she decided at last that she would not go to the house. - -So she kept with the herd, and when the cows reached the door of -the great barn, she slipped in between them, unseen in the fog and -gathering dusk; for though the sun would not quite disappear, it hung -low and dim on the horizon and shed but faint light through the misty -air. Within, the barn was arranged much like the one at her home, -though on a far larger scale. In one corner was a large pile of soft -sweet-smelling hay, and going to this Elsa set down her basket and -kantele, and curled herself up for the night. - -As she looked about through half-shut, sleepy eyes, she saw in the -center of the wide earthen floor a stone fireplace, and there -over some blazing fagots stood a great iron kettle; beside it two -ruddy-faced girls were hard at work stirring the long marsh grass that -was boiling for the cows’ supper. Elsa would have very much liked to -make herself known to these girls, for she was used to doing things -openly and did not at all enjoy hiding there in the corner; but then -she thought of the precious rune and the possibility that they might -stop her journey, and so she remained quiet. As she nestled down in the -soft, warm hay, however, she thought to herself that they could not -possibly mind having a little girl sleep in it for just one night, and -so reasoning she kept on drowsily watching the movements of the two -girls. - -After a while they dipped out the soft food and fed the cows; and then, -when they had milked them, one of the girls poured out a bowlful of new -milk and set it beside the stone hearth, and then they both went off -singing toward the house. - -Now Elsa knew, as every little Finnish farm girl knows, that the fresh -milk was set there for the fairies; for should any roving band of elfin -people chance to wander thither, they might be vexed and do mischief -if they did not find a fresh, sweet draft awaiting them. So Elsa felt -quite safe, sure that the fairies would not trouble her; and, by and -by, lulled by the soft breathing of the cows, she fell asleep. - -Very early in the morning she awoke, and though at first much -bewildered, she soon remembered everything, and determined to slip away -before any one should find her. - -So fastening her cloak and taking her little belongings, she again set -forth. As she stepped out in the early morning light, a white frost -glittered over the fields; and as she gazed around seeking the road, -she saw a faintly-marked path that seemed to lead to the highway. She -made a little breakfast from the things she found in her basket, and -then walked on; but the path, instead of leading to the highroad, -took her farther and farther from it, for she did not know that the -farm whither the cows had led her was a long distance from the way she -wished to follow. - -Indeed Elsa was lost; and as she went on the country grew wilder and -more rugged. Before she knew it the path had disappeared altogether and -she could find no trace of it; and as far as she could see, there was -no living being near. - -All the while she was becoming more and more frightened, yet still -bravely she went on, vainly seeking the road. Before long she came to a -dense wood of firs, and thinking that perhaps the way lay just beyond, -she slowly entered the forest, stepping timidly between the dark -resinous trees. Once or twice she trembled as a fox crossed her path, -but, by and by, as she looked ahead, her heart fairly stood still with -terror. For there in the distance, where a great ledge of rocks cropped -out of the ground, she saw a large brown something; and the more she -looked the more certain she felt that it was a bear. - -And true enough, it was a bear, “honey-paw,” as Elsa would have said, -for so the Finlanders call the brown bear, because of his great liking -for wild honey. Now, as it happened, this particular honey-paw was for -the time so intent upon his own affairs that at first he did not see -Elsa. He was walking carefully round and round the great mass of rock, -hunting a good spot where he might curl up, bear fashion, and sleep -through the coming winter. He had been looking at these rocks for many -days, as is the custom of bears, trying to decide which of the little -caves they offered would suit him best for his long sleep; and he was -still perplexed about it when he happened to look in Elsa’s direction. - -The little girl was standing still, frozen with terror, when he saw -her. Perhaps he would not have noticed her had it not been for the red -hood she wore, which, of course, could be seen for a long distance. -When honey-paw realized, however, that some one was looking at him, -he was greatly displeased; for when bears are selecting their winter -hiding places they like to keep the matter as secret as possible. So -with a little growl of resentment he started toward her. At this Elsa -uttered a scream and, dropping her basket, took to her heels, running -as fast as she could, she knew not whither. The bear followed, at an -awkward pace, but when he came up and sniffed at her basket she was -already far in the distance. - -As good fortune would have it, in her wild flight Elsa had come to the -edge of one of the great bogs that cover so large a part of Finland, -and her light steps had taken her some distance over its uncertain -surface. On she went, springing lightly from tussock to tussock of the -coarse grass, till at last she reached a little space of firmer ground, -and sank down, exhausted, upon the fallen trunk of a willow tree. - -Meantime honey-paw also had come to the edge of the bog, but after -a few cautious steps had found himself too heavy to gain a foothold -on the soft ground, so with another sniff or two he turned about and -trotted off. - -When Elsa saw him going away, she was so worn out with fright, and so -very tired, that she did just what any other little girl would have -done: she began to cry, and cried and cried as if her heart would -break. She sat there sobbing a long time, and was quite sure she would -have to stay in that little spot the rest of her life, till the wicked -bog witches found her or the bears ate her up; for she did not think -she could ever venture on alone. - -Indeed she cried so hard that she did not notice that she was quite -near the bank of a good-sized river that flowed to the east, nor did -she know that after a while a large flat-boat drifted in sight. It was -laden with a great number of bark-bound barrels, and on the deck a man -stood guiding the boat with a long pole. As it floated slowly along, -the boatman saw Elsa, and called out in surprise. - -“Ho, little one! what dost thou in yonder bog? Art lost?” When Elsa -heard him, she quickly looked up, and begged piteously that he take her -away from that dangerous spot! - -“That will I do right gladly,” said he; and directing her how to reach -the bank in safety, he guided his boat to land and then helped Elsa -aboard. - -He gave her a little box on which to sit, and told her that the heavy -barrels arranged in rows in the boat were filled with turpentine which -he was floating down the river from the pine woods farther inland. Then -looking curiously at Elsa, who sat there still tightly holding her -little kantele, which she had unconsciously kept through her flight -from honey-paw, he said: - -“But who art thou, little one?” - -The man had a good face and a kindly manner that quite reassured -Elsa, who, now that her fear of the bear was relieved, had begun to -wonder who her companion might be. When she told him her name, “Ah,” he -exclaimed, “I know thy father well! But whither art thou going all by -thyself?” - -When Elsa told him of her journey to the peasant Ulricborg, he looked -astonished, but told her to have no fear, as he would see her safely to -the Ulricborg home, which was down the very river on which they were -floating, and at no great distance from the bank. - -As the boat glided along Elsa’s new friend beguiled the time by telling -her of the great pine forests whence he had come, and explaining how -the pitch and turpentine were harvested. After a while when he asked -if she would sing him a little song, she gladly assented; and striking -the strings of her little harp, she sang a Finnish boat-song, her voice -ringing out clear and sweet on the frosty air, through which some big -snowflakes were beginning to fall. She had scarcely finished her song -when she noticed that they were no longer in the center of the stream, -but that the boatman was deftly turning his craft sidewise and guiding -it toward the bank. - -In a few minutes he had made it fast to a stout oak tree that grew -near the water’s edge, and then helping Elsa out, he took her hand and -led her up a narrow path between tall grasses and yellowing willows; -then turning into a lane they came toward a small weather-beaten house -standing in the midst of a little group of fir trees. The door stood -open, and a short distance from the house they spied a bent old woman -gathering pine cones in the forest close by. She had her apron filled, -and presently, turning around and seeing her visitors, she straightened -herself as best she could and came toward them with greetings. As she -drew near, Elsa saw that her face was withered and wrinkled, and her -hands brown with toil. - -“Good morrow, Dame Ulricborg!” said the boatman, “and how fares thy -goodman to-day?” - -“Ah,” answered the dame, “he is very weak and grows more feeble every -day. This twelve-month past he hath scarce left his bed, and ’tis weary -work for an old woman to keep the kettle boiling and the thatch mended -over our heads.” - -“True,” said the boatman, sympathetically, “thou hast done well, Dame -Ulricborg!” Then looking down at Elsa, he added: “Here is a little girl -come to see thee.” - -The old dame looked curiously at Elsa; then, as the latter held up her -little skirt and asked the dame if she might not help carry the cones, -she grew more kindly and led the way to the house. But the boatman, -seeing Elsa thus safe at her journey’s end, bade them good by and -hastened back to his boat. - -Now, Dame Ulricborg very much wondered what the little girl could -possibly wish with her; but as it is considered unkind to question a -guest as to his coming, she said nothing, but waited for Elsa to make -known her errand. - -[Illustration] - -As they drew near the door of the house, Elsa hastened to explain to -her how she had come, and how she hoped to learn the rune from the lips -of the aged peasant Ulricborg. At this the old woman, who had listened -attentively, shook her head. - -“Ah, little one,” said she, “thou little knowest how feeble he hath -grown! He hath strange fancies, too, and I doubt if he will wish to let -thee learn it. He hath never been willing to teach it to any one. But,” -she added, “thou canst at least ask, if thou wishest.” - -By this time they had reached the threshold of Dame Ulricborg’s home, -and stepped within. The house was bare, but not uncomfortable; some -rings of flat-bread hung from the ceiling; there was a spinning-wheel, -two or three benches, and, on the wall over the fireplace, a kantele. - -The dame told Elsa to draw one of the benches near the fire and warm -herself, while she went into the next room to see how her sick husband -fared, as she had been obliged to leave him all alone when she went to -gather the cones. - -By and by the dame came back, and shaking her head sadly, said to Elsa: - -“Nay, to-day ’tis useless; his thoughts are wandering and he will -notice nothing. ’Tis often so when he grows overweary. But thou must -bide the night with us, and it may be in the morning he will be better.” - -So Elsa helped Dame Ulricborg build up the fire till it blazed brightly -with the crackling resinous cones, and then as the afternoon waned, she -made herself useful in many little ways as they set out their simple -evening meal. - -Elsa thought no _pimea_ and black bread had ever tasted quite so good, -for she was very hungry after her long day, and Dame Ulricborg smiled -at her enjoyment. Indeed by the time Elsa crept into the queer little -cupboard bed that the dame spread for her, she had so won the latter’s -heart that she bent over and kissed the little girl with a pathetic -tenderness; for it had been a long, long time since poor old Dame -Ulricborg had had any young life about her. Her own little girl had -slept in the village churchyard for many years. - -The next morning, after they had breakfasted together, the dame told -Elsa that she might see peasant Ulricborg, who seemed somewhat brighter -with the new day. So taking Elsa by the hand she led her into the room -where lay the sick peasant. - -He looked very old and feeble; his hair was white as snow, and his thin -cheeks drawn into innumerable wrinkles. Elsa went timidly over and -stood by his bedside, and in a low quivering voice she made known her -request. She told him of Herr Lönnrot’s labors to save the beautiful -song-story of Wainamoinen, and of his great desire to learn the lost -rune that peasant Ulricborg alone knew; how he wished to write it down, -so that it might never again be forgotten and that all the world might -enjoy its beauty. - -As she spoke, the old man looked at her with dim blue eyes, and seemed -to listen as one in a dream. When she ceased, he appeared for a moment -lost in thought; then he said slowly and dreamily: - -“Yes, thou shalt learn it, Aino; thou shalt hear of the birth of the -harp, of the magic fish and of the mighty hero Wainamoinen, little -Aino.” - -“’Tis our own little maid, Aino, that we lost so long ago!” whispered -the old dame to Elsa, as the tears streamed down her face; “thou art so -like her!” - -But she hushed her whisper, as suddenly the old peasant began to sing -in a weak, quavering voice that seemed to grow stronger as he sang, -the beautiful lines telling how the ancient Wainamoinen fashioned the -first harp, and how he sang till all the birds forsook their nests, the -fishes their deep sea homes, and all the creatures of the woods, nay, -the very trees themselves, trooped forth from the forests that they -might listen to his enchanting music. - -As Elsa heard, the tears came into her own eyes, for she was a poetic -little soul and quickly touched by anything beautiful. When the peasant -Ulricborg had almost finished the rune, he suddenly broke off and lay -back on his pillow exhausted. He lay for so long a while with closed -eyes, that both the dame and Elsa grew frightened; but presently -he again looked at them, his vision becoming brighter; in a little -while all seemed to grow clear to him. He gazed kindly at Elsa, for -something about the little girl seemed strangely to soften the old man. -He noticed her little kantele, and it seemed to interest him, as he -motioned her to lay it beside him. He looked at it a while, and tried -once or twice to touch its strings to music, but his strength failed -him. - -Presently, he said feebly: - -“Ah, I thought thou wert Aino come back for me!—but never mind—the -rune thou wishest, I can not show thee its music now,”—here he looked -sadly at his stiffened fingers, “but the rune itself, yes, thou shalt -have it, little one!” Then he added slowly, as he gazed dreamily into -Elsa’s shining eyes: - -“For thou, too, wilt love it truly!” - -Here, as he paused a while, Dame Ulricborg could scarcely hide her -amazement, knowing how often before he had wilfully refused the same -request from others. Indeed, the peasant Ulricborg had all his life -loved poetry with a singular passion; and this particular rune, which -had come down in his family, he seemed to set apart as something almost -sacred; he treasured its verses as misers hoard gold pieces. Whether he -thought it too beautiful to be made overcommon, or for what reason, no -one knew; that was his oddity. So, while he sang it sometimes to those -he considered worthy, he would teach it to none. - -And now at last, as he promised it to Elsa, Dame Ulricborg thought -sadly that the promise came too late; for how could he teach it to the -little girl, when every breath was such weary effort? And she knew he -was unable to write readily even if he had the strength. - -But having rested a little, he motioned her to bend down, and then he -whispered something to her. She listened with a look of surprise, and -then hastened into the living room, and opening a little cupboard, -searched, till in the farthest corner she found a small box, and this -she brought to the bedside. As she opened it, out fluttered some thin -old sheets of paper, closely written over and yellow with age. - -The old man’s eyes kindled as he saw these, and as he marked the utter -surprise of his wife. - -“Ah, dear heart,” he said, “thou didst not know—the priest wrote down -the words for me—long ago—I loved it—and wished to keep it—and I -hid it away”—but here the dying peasant, too exhausted for further -speech, paused, and then, turning to Elsa the blue eyes from which the -light was swiftly fading, murmured to her: - -“Take it, little one; ’tis the rune—do with it as thou wilt.” - -Elsa was so overcome that she fell to crying bitterly, and neither she -nor Dame Ulricborg noticed the sound of sleighbells, for the ground -was covered with a light snow. In a few minutes, however, the cottage -door opened, and in came Elsa’s father, all anxiety for the safety of -his little girl. When Elsa, hearing him, came into the living room, he -caught her in his arms and kissed her passionately, for he had been -greatly alarmed on learning of her journey, and had set off in hot -haste to find her. - -Herr Lönnrot, too, who had grown much better, had insisted on coming -with him, and was even then slowly walking toward the cottage door, -for he was still feeble from his illness. He, too, was delighted to -find Elsa safely cared for; but both he and Elsa’s father hushed their -voices when she told them of the peasant Ulricborg. They stepped -softly into the other room, and Herr Lönnrot’s practised eye, for -you remember he was a physician, at once saw that his skill could do -nothing to help the old man. As the Herr gently smoothed the coverlid -the sick peasant gave a faint smile to the faithful old wife who still -bent over him, and then, as Elsa stood reverently holding the yellow -papers between her little palms, he turned to her a long lingering look -that seemed to say: - -“Farewell, little one! and farewell to the beloved song, that I have -cherished so jealously all these years. I must leave thee now, but I -leave thee in loving hands—farewell.” And then peacefully, as the wife -laid her withered cheek close to his, his spirit passed away to find -their little Aino. - -Afterward, when Elsa gave to Herr Lönnrot the precious papers on which -the rune was written, at first he looked at them in amazement; but his -heart filled with delight when he learned what the papers contained. He -drew Elsa to him, and kissing her forehead declared that she had not -only pleased him beyond measure, but had done honor to old Finland in -helping complete the immortal poem he was striving to save. - -When, some weeks later, Herr Lönnrot went away, after providing for -the comfort of Dame Ulricborg, he journeyed back to Helsingfors, the -capital city of Finland; and told the scholars who were studying the -poetry of the land how the little girl had been the means of bringing -to light one of the most beautiful of the runes. Then the scholars -had a little silver medal made which they sent to Elsa, and which she -took great pride in keeping through all her life; and no doubt her -great-grandchildren still keep it to this day. - -As for Herr Lönnrot, he lived to put together the runes he had -collected, and when he had finished he called the poem “Kalevala,” -which in our language means “Land of Heroes,” because it tells the -wonderful story of the heroes of that ancient land. - -And some day, perhaps, you will read this “Kalevala,” for it is one of -the noblest and most beautiful poems in all the world. And then when -you come to the rune which tells of the birth of the harp, you too will -be glad that the little Finnish girl was the means of saving it from -being lost forever. - - - - - COUNT HUGO’S SWORD - - HOW THE PEASANT BOY GEOFFREY BY HIS - BRAVERY AND DEVOTION PREVENTED - A DUEL OF GREAT NOBLES AND - BECAME PAGE TO THE - GOOD KING LOUIS - - -“Tee dee, deedle de de!” shrieked the cockatoo, from his perch high up -in the gabled window of the old inn. “Tee de!” He was a pink and white -cockatoo, with a beautiful tuft on top of his head; one of his legs was -chained to a carved wooden perch that projected from the window-sill, -while with his free claw he carefully balanced a large silver spoon, of -antique pattern, from the contents of which he was very deliberately -dining. For he was no common bird. Monsieur Jean the landlord of -this “Guillaume-le-Conquérant” inn, of the ancient town of Dives, -being something of a bird fancier, had but lately bought him, and for -fear he might fly away, was thus keeping him chained to the window of -monsieur’s own apartment until he should grow used to his new home. As -he now slowly picked from his spoon the last morsel, and swallowed it -with a great ruffling of feathers all the way down his throat, again he -shrilled out in a high-pitched mimicking tone, “Tee deedle!” and this -time a little boy looked up quickly from the courtyard below. - -The boy was seated on a bench under a plane-tree, and held in his hands -a sheet of yellow parchment on which was written a musical score, whose -large black notes he was trying to hum over. - -“Fie, Cockie!” he cried, as he looked up, “dost thou not know ’tis a -wicked sin to mock me when I am learning the holy mass music?” - -But Cockie only screwed his head to one side, shook his empty spoon, -and peered down with an impudent stare, as with a sigh the little boy -once more applied himself to his task. In a few moments, however, he -was again interrupted, this time by a call from beyond the kitchen: - -“Geoffrey! Geoffrey! come hither and help catch this fowl for the Count -Hugo’s soup to-morrow!” - -After a hot chase, Geoffrey succeeded in catching the fat hen and -handing her over to the white-capped cook of the inn kitchen, and then -he once more sat down and took up his parchment; for though a serving -boy through the week, on Sunday he took his place with the little -choristers of the Dives cathedral, and Father Anselm had allowed him to -take the score home with him, so that he might practise in his leisure -moments. - -But as he now tried to go over the black notes, there was a mournful -cadence to every tone, for Geoffrey was very unhappy. Usually he was -gay as a bird, and indeed sang very like one; but to-day he had a -weight on his mind, as he sat there in the courtyard of the quaint old -inn. - -It was long, long ago that Geoffrey lived—nearly six hundred years. -The inn in which he served had been built in the Norman town of Dives -nearly three centuries earlier by the great Duke of Normandy, William -the Conqueror, whose name, which in French (for Normandy is a part of -France) is Guillaume-le-Conquérant, the inn still bore in Geoffrey’s -time as it bears to this day. The Duke William had built the house -because he wished to have some safe and pleasant stopping place during -the time he was overseeing the finishing and freighting of the fleet of -boats which lay near by in the river Dives, and in which he meant to -sail to the conquest of England. - -And so, with such illustrious beginning, the inn had become very -famous among the nobles of Normandy, and grown larger and larger, till, -in the days when Geoffrey lived, it was a very beautiful place indeed. -The courtyard, which one entered through an arched gateway covered with -guelder roses, was surrounded by ancient wooden buildings; their dark -mossy beams were put together with white plaster, and their innumerable -picturesque peaks and gables and wooden galleries and winding stairways -were richly overhung with masses of the most lovely vines; for roses, -wistarias, clematis, and jasmines clambered everywhere. There were two -gardens also; one for the kitchen, the other full of lilies and clove -pinks and French daisies, and numberless sweet old-fashioned flowers; -for Monsieur Jean, the innkeeper, had much taste and loved both flowers -and birds. Indeed, besides several cockatoos, he always kept dozens of -peacocks that trailed about the courtyard squawking and spreading their -gorgeous tails every time a new guest entered the gateway. There were -fine pigeons, too, and rabbits and chickens, and no end of interesting -things. - -Geoffrey thought it a charming place to live, and he did not in the -least mind the work he had to do; for all were kind to him, and -moreover, he was happy in being able to give some of his earnings to -his family at home, who were very poor. His father was a peasant living -on the estate of the young Count Boni, of Château Beauvais, and had it -not been for the kind-heartedness of this count, the poor peasant would -have had hard shift to keep his little children in bread; for in those -days the country had been so wasted by wars that the peasant folk had -almost nothing left on which to live. But the Count Boni had always -been most generous and considerate to the people on his estate, and -especially to Geoffrey’s father, who was honest, and intelligent above -his class. The count it was who had secured for Geoffrey the place at -the inn, and it was he also who had spoken to the monks of Dives of -the boy’s sweet voice, so that the good Fathers had become interested, -and were taking much pains in teaching him music. - -And now we come to the reason that Geoffrey was so unhappy as he sat -under the plane-tree, vainly trying to practise his lesson; for he was -thinking all the while of a deadly peril that threatened this good -Count Boni, to whom he was deeply grateful for so many things, and whom -he truly loved next to his own father. - -His knowledge of the count’s danger had come about in this way. It had -happened that, the day before, Geoffrey had been sent to the Château -Beauvais, which was not far distant from Dives, to carry some rabbits -which Monsieur Jean had promised to Isabeau, the little daughter of -the count. When Geoffrey reached the château and inquired for the -little Lady Isabeau, he had been sent into the garden, and there he -found her crying as if her heart would break! Now this grieved Geoffrey -very much indeed; as he quite worshiped the gracious little girl who -used often to visit their cottage when he lived at home, and who had -sometimes gaily carried him back with her for a day’s happy romp in the -beautiful château grounds. - -When he asked her the reason of her tears, she had told him between her -sobs: - -“O, Geoffrey! my dear father, the count, is to fight a dreadful duel -with the wicked Count Hugo, who will surely kill him with his evil -sword! I heard nurse Marie talking with the gardener, and they say he -will surely kill him! Oh! Oh! Oh!” and here poor little Isabeau fairly -shook with the violence of her sobbing. - -Geoffrey tried as best he could to comfort her, but to no avail; she -could not be induced even to look at the rabbits she had so much -wanted; so at last he was obliged to set them down quietly, and -sorrowfully take his leave, though not until he had questioned some -of the château pages for more particulars of that which the little -girl had told him. He thus learned that Count Boni had indeed been -challenged to a duel by the old Count Hugo, who lived in a castle -beyond the city of Meaux. - -Now in those days, when people got into disputes about things, even -a bit of property, instead of settling the matter in courts of law -as we do, it was quite customary to fight a “judicial duel,” as it -was called; that is, the two men disputing appointed a meeting-place -where they tried to wound each other, generally with swords, and the -one who succeeded in disabling, or as sometimes happened, killing his -adversary, was adjudged the better man and the winner of his case. -This was certainly a strange and cruel way of doing, but six hundred -years ago people did many strange and cruel things. Had young Count -Boni merely engaged to fight an ordinary duel, that would have been bad -enough, though it would not perhaps have been a matter of such concern; -for the count was brave and a good swordsman,—and, ah, well! one must -expect a duel now and then. - -But that which caused Isabeau, and Geoffrey, too, when he learned of -it, such grief, was that her father was to fight the Count Hugo; for -this nobleman was known to be most wicked and unscrupulous. It was his -custom to pick an unjust quarrel with some noble whose lands he coveted -and falsely claimed; then he would challenge his victim to a “judicial -duel,” which always resulted in the noble being slain, and his estates -being seized by Hugo. For no one had ever been able to stand against -the wicked count, who fought not merely to wound, but to kill, and who -had the reputation of being the most skilful and merciless swordsman -in all France. Indeed, his cruel sword had slain so many noble lords -that people declared it was bewitched; that Count Hugo, who had been -a crusader, had obtained it from the heathen Saracens, who had forged -it under some evil spell. They insisted the more on the unholy power -of this sword, as Count Hugo himself seemed to regard it with great -superstition and always preferred it to any other weapon; though, -indeed, many people even went further in their talk, and asserted also -that the count had got his unhallowed skill from some heathen wizard, -and that any sword would, in his hands, be certain to deal a fatal -thrust. - -And so it was that when he chose a victim for one of his duels, it was -considered equal to a death warrant; though he always took care to make -the nobles he challenged so angry that they would not listen to reason, -and would fight him regardless of the fate of all who had crossed -swords with him before. This, too, it was whispered, was a part of his -sorcery—though perhaps really it was because the high-spirited Norman -noblemen were no cowards, and would let no one assail their honor or -seize their property if they could possibly help it. - -The more Geoffrey thought of these things, and of the many kindnesses -of Count Boni, and then as he saw in memory the sweet, tear-stained -face of little Isabeau, his singing became more and more melancholy, -till at last he stopped altogether, and gave himself up to thinking. He -knew from the inn servants that the Count Hugo was expected there the -next day, and that the duel was fixed for the following morning just -outside the walls of Dives. - -“Oh,” he thought, “if it only, only could in some way be prevented!” -Now Count Boni himself would have been very indignant had he known that -anybody was thinking it should be prevented; for, just as Count Hugo -had desired, he was very angry with his adversary, and had no wish to -avoid the encounter. But that could not prevent Geoffrey from wishing -it might be avoided for him. - -Indeed, Geoffrey had learned many things. He had a quick intelligence, -and was very observant, and many travelers came to the inn; so he was -by no means so ignorant of affairs as many little boys of his age. He -had heard it said that the Norman nobles had long sought in vain for -some pretext to rid themselves of the wicked Hugo, who was a rich and -powerful lord and seemed to lead a life charmed against all attack, for -he had been many times openly assailed. As to his shameless dueling, -since that was then within bounds of the law, they could do nothing. So -how, thought Geoffrey sadly, how could he, a poor little peasant boy, -hope to do anything where the great nobles seemed powerless! - -But, by and by, he was aroused from his reverie by Monsieur Jean, who -wished his help in the many preparations demanded of the inn folk by -the important guest of the morrow, this hateful Hugo who was coming -to kill his dear Count Boni! Ugh! had it not been bad enough to have -to catch the chicken for his soup? How he wished it might strangle -him! And how poor Geoffrey hated himself now because he was compelled -to assist in this and that arrangement for the entertainment of the -murderous nobleman and his many followers. How he wished they were all -at the bottom of the Red Sea! - -But at last, after much labor, that disagreeable day wore to an end -for the little boy, though when he went to bed and tried to forget -his troubles, he dreamed all night of poor little Isabeau, and seemed -to hear her piteous sobs and to see the hot tears streaming down her -pretty pink cheeks. - -Early the next morning the inn was astir, and busy with more -preparations for the expected guests. And, sure enough, just before -midday, in through the rose-covered gateway galloped four outriders, -wearing the crimson livery of Count Hugo, and insolently jingling their -bridle reins and clanking their great gilded spurs. - -Shortly after their arrival the coach itself dashed into the middle of -the courtyard with a great clatter of hoofs and wheels, followed by a -long train of mounted and liveried servants, and lackeys, and pages, -and men-at-arms; for traveling in those days was none too safe without -a guard of spearmen and lancers. The coach was painted a bright yellow -and richly gilded; on the panels of its doors the count’s crest and -coat of arms were blazoned in blue and crimson; and no sooner had its -wheels stopped than the lackeys jumped from their horses and, running -to its side, flung open the doors, which they respectfully held back as -still others assisted the nobleman to alight. - -Count Hugo was a heavily-built man of middle age, with cold, cruel -eyes, and mustachios of grisly gray; he was richly dressed in a green -velvet suit with crimson satin facings and ruffles of the finest lace; -his shoe buckles sparkled with diamonds. Geoffrey, who from a quiet -corner was watching everything, involuntarily clenched his fists as he -saw the evil-omened sword, encased in an elaborately-wrought scabbard, -poking hatefully out from under the tail of the count’s beautiful -velvet coat. - -As Hugo, followed by his retinue, crossed the courtyard, there was a -great bowing and scraping from Monsieur Jean and all the inn servants; -the peacocks spread their gorgeous tails and screamed at the tops of -their voices; the pigeons puffed and pouted and strutted about; the -cockatoo shrieked loudly and flourished his silver spoon; and the -rabbits ran away with their ears flat to their heads with fright, and -hid under the cabbage leaves in the garden until the commotion of the -count’s arrival had somewhat subsided. - -But at last the great man had been ushered into his rooms, where he had -breakfasted on the most elaborate products of the cooks’ skill; while -on the spits in the great inn kitchen huge haunches of venison and -beef were turning and browning in front of the blazing fire, and the -white-capped and aproned scullions were running about with big ladles -and spoons in their hands making ready the dinner for the large company -of guests. - -Geoffrey had, at their bidding, done many errands, and last of all had -brought up from the garden a great basket of vegetables. He had wished, -as he tragically jerked them out of the ground and brandished them in -the air, that each separate carrot, leek and radish might stick in -Count Hugo’s wicked throat, and stay there forever! Now at length tired -out, he sat down to rest on his bench under the plane-tree. - -As he sat there, presently through the arched gateway there entered -a man dressed in a frayed waistcoat of ragged satin, knee breeches -of blue plush much the worse for wear, and leather leggings from -which half the buckles were gone. Slung around his neck by a gay -green ribbon hung a viol, and in one hand he grasped a slender little -chain that held in leash a small monkey wearing a tiny red cap. This -motley figure was one of the strolling jongleurs, half juggler, -half troubadour, who flourished at that time in all parts of France, -and managed to eke out a living from the pranks of their monkeys and -the practice of the “gay science,” as it was called; that is, by the -singing of songs which they themselves usually made up and set to music. - -As this particular jongleur entered the courtyard, he spied Geoffrey, -and strolling over to the bench amiably seated himself beside the boy -with a friendly “Good morrow, my lad!” - -“Good morrow, sir,” answered Geoffrey, rather absently. - -The jongleur then caught sight of the coach drawn up by the inn wall. - -“Ah,” he said, “small wonder none came forth to welcome us. Other -guests are ahead of me, I perceive.” And, as the monkey climbed upon -his knee, he added: “Had thou and I fared hither in yonder yellow cart, -Pippo, we should have had the whole inn at our feet. And monsieur, the -landlord, would have been down on his knees humbly beseeching to know -when my Lord Pippo would be pleased to dine! Hey! Pippo! is’t not true?” - -But Pippo, paying no attention to him, began mischievously to finger -the strings of the viol with his little brown claws, and the jongleur, -with a gay laugh, turning to Geoffrey, inquired: - -“To whom does yonder gaud belong?” - -“It is the coach of Count Hugo,” said Geoffrey; “he came to-day, and -is to fight a duel with Count Boni, of Château Beauvias, to-morrow -morning.” - -“So!” said the jongleur with a short whistle; “well, then, their -countships had better let no grass grow under their noble feet, for the -king hath but just issued an edict forbidding all such dueling from now -on, henceforth and forever.” - -“What, sir?” said Geoffrey, suddenly rousing up excitedly; “what is -that thou sayest?” - -“Well, well, little man! thou seemest to take this matter somewhat to -heart! I was merely mentioning the new edict of our blessed King Louis -Ninth, God save his soul, which forbids dueling! It seems our sovereign -lord hath grown weary of the foolish practice whereby he hath lost so -many noble subjects, and moreover, being a wise monarch, hath become -convinced that all disputes should be settled in the courts of law, -which he hath been studying much since his return from Constantinople, -where the law is held in high esteem—in short, he will have no more -‘judicial duels’; and yesterday when I and Pippo were in Rouen, we -heard the king’s heralds as they solemnly proclaimed the new edict to -the people.” - -“Oh!” exclaimed Geoffrey delightedly, “thank the blessed saints, then, -the duel can not be fought to-morrow!” - -“Hold, hold,” said the jongleur, “not so fast, my lad—” - -“Nay,” cried Geoffrey, “but how dare they when the king forbids?” and, -dragging the jongleur up by the hand, he added: “Come with me now and -we will seek the wicked Count Hugo, and tell him the news! Come!” - -“Nay, nay,” the jongleur replied, “not I!” - -“Why, is it not true?” demanded Geoffrey. - -“True as gospel,” said the jongleur, “but thou art but a child; dost -thou fancy two noble lords, bent on the sword play, would for one -moment be stayed by the word of a poor strolling jongleur? Nay, I -should but receive a drubbing for my pains if I sought to inform that -cruel Hugo. I prefer, thank you, to keep my bones whole; especially -as I could do no good. Moreover, let them spit each other, if they so -desire! I do not care, youngster, how many duels they fight!” - -But when he looked down and saw the grief in Geoffrey’s eyes, he -softened, and added: “But since thou seemest to care so much, little -one, I would risk the drubbing, by my faith, I would! if ’twere to any -purpose. But I am older than thou, and somewhat a man of the world,” -here the jongleur straightened himself up; “and I swear to thee, -’twould work naught but mischief were I to seek out yonder count and -strive to prevent his encounter to-morrow. He would simply be angered, -and would not believe me, or would pretend not to, because he does not -wish to be stopped till he hath killed this Count Boni you tell me -of, and got his lands. Naught but the king’s heralds themselves could -hinder that affair.” And then, as he meditated, he added: “’Tis a -monstrous pity, though! When didst thou say they fight, little one? In -the morning? A monstrous pity! For the heralds will no doubt arrive in -Dives to-morrow afternoon; they were to come hither on leaving Rouen. -Thou knowest they must proclaim the edict through all the cities of the -realm!” - -Six hundred years ago printing and newspapers and the telegraph were -unknown; and so when a war was to be undertaken, or peace settled -upon, or a new law made, the king sent his heralds about through all -his dominions, and they made proclamation to the people, with a great -flourish of trumpets and much quaint ceremony. - -But here Pippo became engaged in a squabble with a fat peacock, and the -jongleur rising, separated them, and then strolled off toward the inn -kitchen; for he had journeyed far, and the savory smells wafted out -into the courtyard suddenly reminded him that he was very hungry. - -Geoffrey, thus left alone, fell to thinking, and he thought and thought -as never before in all his life. So the heralds were on their way to -Dives, if what the jongleur told was true, and he believed it was; and -the jongleur had said, moreover, that these heralds could stop even the -wicked Hugo from carrying out his designs. Geoffrey felt that this was -true also, for he knew that not even noblemen dared openly defy the -king. And then he reasoned, perhaps more wisely than he knew, that -Hugo stirred up and fought these “judicial duels” merely to increase -his property and not to satisfy his personal honor; and that if nothing -were to be gained, Hugo would surely not fight. The king had forbidden -his subjects to acquire property that way; the great thing, therefore, -was to prevent the encounter in the morning, so that the heralds might -have time to come to Dives and make their proclamation, which would -certainly put an end to the whole affair. But how, how could he, -Geoffrey, do this? - -At last, however, an idea occurred to him that made his eyes brighten -and his cheeks flush. If he could only get hold of that bewitched -Saracen sword of Count Hugo’s, and hide it, why, probably, as the count -was known superstitiously to prefer it to any other weapon, he might be -delayed hunting for it till the heralds came. - -As Geoffrey thought over this plan, he reflected that if he got -possession of the sword it must be that night, as the count wore it -constantly all day long; and though he felt like a highwayman and a -robber even to plan it, for he was an honest little lad, yet he said to -himself there was no other way to save Isabeau’s father. - -And so, full of his project, as a preliminary, he got up and sauntered -past that part of the inn where he knew was the count’s sleeping -chamber, and noticed that it had one window opening upon one of the -little wooden galleries which was approached from the outside by a -winding stair. The window was barred with heavy wooden rounds; but as -Geoffrey measured with his eye the distance between these bars, he felt -sure that if he made himself as flat as possible, he could squeeze in -through them. It would not be so easy to get the sword out, but perhaps -he could manage it somehow; he _must_ manage it! - -Having thus made up his mind as to what he would do, Geoffrey passed -the rest of the afternoon and evening in a fever of impatience. After -supper was over he hid himself in the garden behind a rose bush, and as -he watched the inn it seemed as if the last of the clatter would never -die away, and people would never settle down and go to sleep! But at -length—after weeks, it seemed to Geoffrey—the last candle flickered -out and the inn became quiet. - -He waited, however, an hour or two longer, knowing the habit of the -maids to lie awake and gossip in the dark. But when he heard the Dives -watchman passing the inn gateway and calling out, “Midnight! and all’s -well!” he crept out, and keeping close in the shadow of the wall, -reached the stairway to the gallery by the count’s sleeping room. -The moon had risen and might have betrayed him as he mounted it, but -fortunately the stair was overhung by vines. He made his way along the -gallery to the count’s window. There was no glass in it, and, as it was -summer time, the heavy wooden shutter that guarded it was wide open, -the bars seeming quite enough protection from ordinary intruders. But -they could not keep out this little boy, who drew in his breath and -made his little stomach as flat as possible as he cautiously wriggled -in between them. At last he stood on tiptoe in the count’s chamber. - -As he gazed about, here and there the moonlight touched some object of -its quaint furnishings, and although Geoffrey, on the inn errands, had -been in the room before, everything now looked strange and unfamiliar -to his wide-open, excited eyes. To his dismay he had not considered -how he should find the sword; but as he stood wondering and groping -about in the dim light, a beam of moonlight fell at the foot of the -high-posted, carved and canopied bed where the count lay asleep, and -showed the scabbard with the sword in it, hanging by its chased metal -hook to a projecting ornament in the heavy carving of the bed. Geoffrey -tiptoed over toward it, all the while listening, with his heart in his -mouth, to the count’s breathing. He seemed to be sound asleep, for -now and then he gave a little snore; but, as with trembling fingers -Geoffrey took down the sword, its tip end struck lightly against a tall -chest of drawers near by, and the count started slightly. Geoffrey -crouched down hopelessly in the shadow of a chair, expecting the count -to pounce upon him at any moment. - -But in a few minutes Hugo’s regular breathing told that he was again -deep asleep. - -Geoffrey then hastened to make his way back to the window, though he -found the sword in its heavy scabbard rather an awkward burden for a -little boy, and it became still more awkward as he prepared to climb -between the bars. He first thought he would take the sword out of its -sheath; but then how could he drop it to the gallery below without -making a noise? He could not climb out with it in his arms. So, on -second thought, he decided to leave it in the scabbard, whose metal -hook he saw might be useful; then lifting this, which took all his -strength, he carefully thrust it outside between the bars, on one of -which he hung the hook, thus keeping both sword and sheath from falling. - -He next turned his attention to getting himself out, and climbing up, -and squeezing and squirming, legs first, at last managed once more to -stand outside on the gallery floor. But it had happened that just as he -was making the last twist through the bars, his foot had accidentally -touched the scabbard, hanging from the window, and it clanked against -the wall. This time the sound seemed to penetrate the ears of the -sleeping Count Hugo, for he started up in earnest, though not entirely -awake; he drowsily arose, however, and crossed over to the window. - -Geoffrey, meantime, hearing him coming, drew back into the shadow, -tightly clutching the sword, and was hidden by the curtain of vines. - -As the count peered through the bars, he caught sight of the cockatoo, -whose perch was in one of the gable windows near by. Now, as good luck -had it, the cockatoo also had been half aroused from his sleep, and -giving a faint screech, began to shift uneasily in his dreams, from one -leg to the other, his chain clanking against his perch as he did so. -Count Hugo hearing him, at once supposed the cockatoo responsible for -that other clanking sound which had aroused him; he swore a round oath, -and turned from the window, muttering to himself, “A plague on that -jabbering popinjay! What with their everlasting peacocks and monkeys, -and heaven only knows what, a man can not get a wink of sleep in this -accursed tavern!” He then went back to bed and, angrily flinging -himself down, was soon snoring soundly. - -After a while, Geoffrey, outside on the gallery, began creeping -cautiously along, and at last managing to get down the stairway, stood -hesitating a moment at its foot; for he had not fully decided what to -do with the sword, now that he had it. He wished as soon as possible to -be rid of the wicked thing; for everybody was superstitious in those -days, and he felt that some fearful evil threatened him so long as he -had hold of the fatal weapon. He would really have very much liked to -take it out and throw it in the river Dives, so it could never kill -any one else; but as he remembered that to do this he would have to -climb over the high wall of the courtyard, for the gate was locked and -the portcullis down, and that then he would have to run the risk of -meeting the town watchman, he concluded the chances for being caught -were too many, and that he must hide the sword elsewhere. Moreover, he -thought that to drop it in the river would be too much like stealing, -anyway, which he did not wish to be guilty of; he merely wished to keep -the count from finding the sword until the heralds came, when he was -willing to restore it. - -So quickly making up his mind, he sped down into the garden, where he -carefully hid it, scabbard and all, under a thick tangle of vines and -shrubbery which grew in a secluded corner where the inn people seldom -went. This done, he made his way back to his own little chamber under -one of the gables, and crept into bed, although he was so excited with -his night’s doings that he could not go to sleep. - -The next day, as was his custom, Count Hugo lay abed till the sun was -well up, for the duel was not to take place until beyond the middle of -the morning. When at last he arose, and his serving men came in to wait -on him as he made his toilet, they adjusted all his ruffles and laces -with the greatest nicety, freshly curled his wig, tied up his queue -with a crimson ribbon, and smoothed out his velvets and satins; then -everything being ready, they looked about for the sword, without which -Hugo never budged an inch. But when they turned to where he told them -he had left it the night before, to their great consternation, it was -not there! When they timidly ventured to tell the count that he must -have put it somewhere else, Hugo, who was busy arranging a heavy gold -chain about his lace collar, curtly replied, without turning his head: -“Ye blind moles of the earth! I tell you it _is_ there!” - -But when again they were obliged to contradict him, the count flew into -a temper, and rushing over to the foot of the bed, put out his hand to -seize the sword and give them a wrathful prick or two all round—but -lo! sure enough, it was _not_ there! - -There then followed a tremendous uproar. They searched the room from -end to end; they tore down all the old tapestries; they peered under -all the chairs; they climbed up and crawled all over the high canopy -of the ancient bed; they shook the mattresses; and in their zeal, even -looked in the count’s shaving mug and under the brass candlesticks. - -Meantime, Hugo himself, in a towering passion, was striding up and -down the room, cuffing his pages, accusing everybody of robbery, and -threatening right and left to hang every man of them if the sword were -not instantly found! - -At last, however, neither threats nor rage proving of the least avail -in bringing to light the lost sword, he descended, followed by his -terrified retinue, to the inn courtyard, and calling out Monsieur -Jean, he stirred up another terrible commotion. He accused everybody -of everything, and finally wound up by insisting that the craven Count -Boni had hired some robber to steal the sword in hopes that the duel -might not be fought. He swore that he would none the less kill poor -Boni, sword or no sword, and meantime ordered the man-at-arms, who had -slept outside his door, to be mercilessly beaten; for Hugo declared the -thief must have entered through the door, as no man could possibly have -come in between the bars of the window. - -At this Geoffrey, who had been up for a long while, and had witnessed -all this uproar in the courtyard, felt himself in a very unhappy -position; he had not expected all this. Indeed, he had given very -little thought as to what might happen to himself or anybody else, -when once he had hidden the sword. He knew now that fearful punishment -awaited him if he were found out; but he could not bear to have the -good Count Boni’s honor blackened, or that the poor man-at-arms, who -was entirely innocent of blame, should suffer, because of what he, -Geoffrey, had done. - -So biting his lips hard to keep up his courage and tightly clenching -his hands behind him, Geoffrey, who was a brave, manly little fellow, -straightway strode out and, standing in front of the raging Count Hugo, -said: - -“Sir, neither Count Boni nor yonder man-at-arms had aught to do with -the loss of your evil sword. I took it away myself!” - -[Illustration] - -At this Count Hugo stared at the little boy for a moment in speechless -surprise. Then, roaring out a terrible oath in a voice like thunder, he -pounced like a wildcat upon poor Geoffrey, and shook him till his teeth -chattered. - -“Thou—thou—miserable varlet!” roared and sputtered the count. -“Thou base-born knave! So thy monkey fingers have dared to meddle -with my precious sword! Faugh! Where hast thou put it? Tell me -instantly,—_parbleu!_—or I will crack every bone in thy worthless -body!” - -And here he fell so viciously to shaking and cuffing him again, that -poor Geoffrey could hardly open his mouth to answer; but at length he -managed to gasp out resolutely: - -“I will not tell thee till to-morrow. Then I will restore it to thee! I -do not wish to keep the heathenish thing!” - -At this the rage of the count knew no bounds, and he doubtless would -have killed the poor little boy then and there, had not Monsieur Jean -and others among the terrified spectators rushed between them and -besought Hugo to be merciful, and give the boy at least till the morrow -to fulfil his word. - -Hereupon, the count, who even in his wrath saw reason in what they -said, savagely flung Geoffrey over to one of his men-at-arms, -commanding him to chastise him, chain him, and keep close watch over -him till the morrow. For the count reflected that if he should hang -the boy then, as he fully intended to do by and by, he would cut off -the only possible means of finding out where his sword was hidden. For -while the lad was stubborn as a rock, Hugo had to admit that he seemed -honest, and so perhaps would keep his promise to restore his prized -weapon. - -But the more the count thought of Geoffrey’s act, the more it puzzled -him to account for it. As he recalled the disturbance of his sleep -the night before, he began to understand that Geoffrey was the real -cockatoo of the affair. - -“Faugh!” he said to himself, “to think ’twas the clanking of my -own good sword that I mistook for the rattling of that chattering -popinjay’s chain!” But he could not account for the boy’s curious -promise to restore the weapon on the morrow. If he meant to return it, -why did he take it at all? And why did he confess and get himself into -trouble, when no one thought of accusing him? The first part of this -question Count Hugo could not answer, because he knew nothing of the -coming of the heralds and Geoffrey’s wish to put off the duel; while -the last part was equally puzzling to him, because he had no sense of -honor, and could not see why one should suffer if an innocent man would -do just as well. - -At any rate, he soon tired trying to understand the matter. Having -placed the boy in safe keeping till the morrow, the next thing was to -have his “second”—(for so the friends were called who arranged the -details of duels for those who were to do the fighting)—see Count -Boni’s second, who had arrived some time before, and have the duel -fixed for the following morning, when Count Hugo vowed he would fight -to the death with somebody’s sword,—whether his own or another’s. - -These matters settled, he remembered that it was fully noon, and he had -not yet breakfasted; so he haughtily withdrew to the inn parlor, and -commanded Monsieur Jean to have him served instantly. - -Meanwhile poor Geoffrey went off with the man-at-arms, who was secretly -sorry for the little boy, and so did not chastise him so cruelly as -the count would have wished; although he was obliged to give him a few -bloody cuts with the lash across his face and hands, for the sake of -appearances, in case Hugo should happen to inspect him. - -Poor little boy! Ah! how eagerly he longed for the arrival of the -heralds, as the jongleur had predicted. But then the dreadful thought -would come, what if something should delay their journey! Or worst -of all, what if the jongleur had not spoken the truth, and there were -no heralds anyway! These doubts and fears tormented Geoffrey more and -more as the hours wore on, and still no sign of the longed-for king’s -messengers. - -He began to wish dismally that he had set farther off the time for -restoring the sword; though he felt sure that unless prevented by the -king’s edict, Count Hugo would fight on the morrow anyhow, despite the -loss of that particular weapon. It then suddenly occurred to him, that -even if the heralds came and stopped the duel as he wished, how was he -himself to escape from the clutches of Count Hugo? This thought sent -a cold chill through him; but when he thought of his dear Count Boni -and the grief of poor little Isabeau, he was not a whit sorry for what -he had done, and with childish hopefulness looked forward to some good -chance to free him. - -Surely, surely, he said to himself, the king’s heralds were persons -in authority, and would not see him killed by the cruel Hugo, even if -he had taken and hidden the heathenish old sword. Did he not mean to -give it back, and had he not done it because of the very law they were -coming to proclaim? Surely they would help him in some way! - -And so the afternoon wore wearily on. Count Hugo came once or twice -to see that the man-at-arms had properly beaten him, and even -meditated putting him to some torture to make him disclose at once -the whereabouts of the sword. But he scarcely dared, as he feared an -uprising of the people of the inn, who, he saw, were very fond of -Geoffrey; so he contented himself with cruelly striking the lad once or -twice, and determining to deal summarily with him when he should take -him away from Dives. - -For at that time powerful noblemen did very much as they pleased. The -good King Louis had been away fighting in the Holy Land for so long -that affairs in France had for the most part taken care of themselves; -and though since his return the king was striving hard to correct many -abuses, there were many things yet to be looked after. So Count Hugo -thought he should have no trouble in carrying Geoffrey away as his -private prisoner because of the taking of his sword. - -After the count’s last visit, when he had informed Geoffrey of some -of the punishments he meant to visit upon him when he got him off in -his own castle, the poor boy began really to despair! It was growing -late, and the sun was almost to its setting, and still not a sound to -tell of any unusual arrival in Dives. The little boy lay back, and -shut his eyes tight, trying to forget his miseries, and the dreadful -things ahead of him; but try as he might, now and then a big tear would -force itself through his closed lids, and trickle down his poor little -blood-stained cheeks. - -And so another hour wore on, Geoffrey growing all the while more -despairing and miserable in his gloomy prospects. But at last, just as -he had given up all hope of the heralds, and concluded that the plight -he had got himself into had been all useless after all,—he suddenly -started up, and clutching the sleeve of the man-at-arms, exclaimed, -“Hark! what is that?” - -“Hush, hush, little one! ’tis nothing,” said the man, who was a stupid -fellow, half dozing, and merely thought the lad crazed by his fright. - -“Nay!” cried Geoffrey, “but listen!” - -Here the guard somewhat pricked up his ears. - -“By my faith!” he answered, “I believe ’tis a blare of trumpets! Some -noble must be coming to Dives!” - -But Geoffrey, with eyes shining, held his breath, and listened to the -sounds, which seemed to be coming nearer. First there was a great -fanfare of trumpets; then a blare of horns; and then he could hear the -clatter as the inn folk hastened across the paved courtyard to the -gateway to see what was going on in the street without. In a little -while some of them seemed to return, and Geoffrey, who was burning to -know, but could not stir for his chains, besought the man-at-arms to -ask some one the cause of the commotion; so going over to the window of -the room, he called out to a passer-by. - -“Ho, comrade! what is the meaning of yonder uproar?” - -“’Tis the king’s heralds,” answered the voice from without; “he hath -sent them to proclaim a new law forbidding duels!” - -Then, before long, the heralds, having made the tour of the Dives -streets, came riding toward the inn, escorted by a train of Dives -people. Geoffrey heard their horses’ hoofs as they pricked in through -the gateway, and also had the great joy of hearing them make the -proclamation itself; for having heard that at that very moment a -nobleman was lodging in the inn, come there for the purpose of a now -unlawful duel, they halted in the middle of the courtyard, and rising -in their stirrups, blew their trumpets, and again elaborately announced -the royal edict,—this time for the express benefit of their two -countships, Hugo and Boni. - -Hearing this, Geoffrey was wild with delight; it was all working out -just as he had counted on! That is, all but one fact, which he all -at once ruefully remembered; he himself was at that moment still a -prisoner of the cruel Count Hugo. He had not counted on that at all! - -O, he thought, if he could only get out and throw himself on the -mercy of the heralds! They were his only hope; for Count Boni as yet -knew not why he had taken the sword, and was perhaps angry with him -and would not come at once to help him. So he piteously begged and -besought the man-at-arms to take off his chains and let him go only so -far as the courtyard. But the man, though he felt sorry for the boy, -had too hearty a terror of the consequences to himself if he let him -out against Hugo’s orders; so he turned a deaf ear to all Geoffrey’s -entreaties, and gruffly told him he could do nothing for him. - -At this the poor little boy fell to sobbing, and sobbed and sobbed most -of the night; for the dark had now fallen, and the little fellow was -quite hopeless for the morrow, when he knew Count Hugo meant to take -him away. - -Meantime, that nobleman had passed into another terrible rage when he -heard the edict of the heralds. He was furious! Furious at the king, -the heralds, at Geoffrey and the world in general; because he saw -himself thwarted in his plans to kill Boni,—as he felt confident he -could do, with his unholy skill with the sword,—and to seize Boni’s -rich estate. All this put him in a frightful temper; although he was -wise enough to know that he dare not defy the king. So he scolded and -swore at everybody in sight, and then sulkily withdrew to his own -apartments, after giving orders to have his coach made ready to leave -early in the morning; for he wished to get off with Geoffrey at least, -before any one could prevent _that_! And on the boy he meant to wreak -full vengeance. - -So the next morning Hugo, contrary to his custom, was astir early; he -had breakfasted in his room, and then hastening down to the courtyard, -got into his yellow coach and sent instant orders for the man-at-arms -to bring Geoffrey and mount the coach also; for he wished to keep an -eye on his victim and also to demand fulfilment of his promise to -restore the sword. But just as the man-at-arms was on his way to the -count, with his miserable little prisoner, he was intercepted by the -two heralds, who had been astir earlier even than Hugo. - -Indeed, they were up because they had had a word or two put into their -ears the night before by the jongleur, who had sought them out and had -a bit of a talk with them. Now the jongleur was a shrewd fellow, and -recalling his conversation under the plane-tree with Geoffrey, had put -two and two together, and had pretty well understood the boy’s reasons -for carrying off the sword; and admiring him, he had determined to do -the best he could to save him, if explaining things to the heralds -could effect this. And it seemed it could; for now the heralds, laying -hold of the boy, first asked him if he had restored the stolen sword. - -“Nay, sirs,” he answered, “but I will right gladly do as I promised, if -ye will let me go and get it!” - -So one of the heralds went with him down into the garden, and stood -over Geoffrey as he uncovered the weapon and gathered it up still safe -in its scabbard. Then conducting him back to the courtyard, and to the -door of the count’s coach, the two king’s messengers stood, one on -each side, as the boy, making an obeisance, presented the sword to the -glowering count. - -The heralds then solemnly announced to all,—for everyone in the inn -had gathered about by this time,—that they bore witness that the -lad had duly restored the stolen property to its rightful owner; and -that punishment for his taking it must be meted out by his rightful -suzerain, the noble Count Boni, to whose estate the boy’s family -belonged. They demanded this right for Geoffrey, in the name of the -king. - -Now Count Hugo knew well enough that every peasant had a right to be -tried for a crime by the nobleman of his own home; but he had trusted -to carry things off with a high hand, thinking no one at the inn would -dare oppose him; as was undoubtedly the case. But with the king’s -heralds it was different; they did not fear him, and so he was obliged -to give up the boy. - -This last thwarting of his plans, however, was almost too much for -Hugo! White with rage, he thundered to his driver to whip up the -horses, and off he clattered, disdainfully turning his back on the -Guillaume-le-Conquérant inn and all that it contained; and his swarm -of retainers followed him, all quaking in their boots from fear of -their master’s violent temper. - -After the count’s departure, Geoffrey, still in charge of the heralds, -was taken into the great kitchen of the inn, where everybody gathered -about, delighted at the little boy’s escape from Hugo’s clutches. The -cook gave him some nice little cakes fresh from the oven; the peacocks -trailed past the open door proudly spreading their beautiful tails; and -the pink and white cockatoo overhead screamed his “Tee deedle!” and -seemed as pleased as anybody. - -After a while the heralds gave Geoffrey over into the charge of Count -Boni’s second, who had meantime arrived to say that the count was -outside the walls of Dives, at the appointed place, and ready to meet -Hugo in the proposed duel. The second was greatly surprised when he -heard how matters had turned out; for he had spent the day before with -Count Boni at the Château Beauvais, and neither he nor his master had -yet heard of the proclamation or the subsequent departure of Count -Hugo. However, he took the little boy with him back to Count Boni, to -whom he delivered the message the heralds had sent: that he, Boni, was -to decide on what punishment Geoffrey was to receive for the taking of -Hugo’s sword; though it really seemed that the child had had punishment -enough already, at the hands of the cruel count himself! - -When Count Boni was told all these things, at first he was greatly -displeased; for he was young and high-spirited, and very angry with -Hugo, whom he wished to fight regardless of the danger he ran from -such an unscrupulous antagonist, and he did not like it that a little -peasant boy had interfered. - -Though when he understood how much the boy had risked and suffered for -love of himself and little Isabeau, he could not find it in his heart -to wish Geoffrey punished. And indeed, in after years he came heartily -to thank the warm-hearted, devoted little lad, whose impulsive act had -no doubt kept him from losing both life and property to a wicked and -dishonorable man. - -Meantime Count Boni felt himself in a very delicate position. As -Geoffrey’s overlord, it was his duty to punish him for taking the -sword, even though it had been restored to its rightful owner; but as -the sword had been taken because the little boy wished to keep Count -Boni himself from the chance of being killed, how could he inflict -severe punishment upon him? Indeed, this question was so difficult that -the count concluded he must take time to think it over, and meantime -he held Geoffrey prisoner at the château. This did not prevent the boy -from having the kindest treatment and the freedom of the grounds, where -he enjoyed many a merry romp with little Isabeau, who was happy as a -bird, and thought Geoffrey the nicest and most wonderful boy in all -the world because he had succeeded in preventing the duel. Nor was -the least cloud cast over their glee when one day they heard that the -wicked Hugo had died in a fit of apoplexy, brought on by one of his -terrible rages. In fact, if the truth must be told, they went off by -themselves and had a shamelessly gay extra romp in celebration of the -news. - -Thus several weeks had passed, when one day there arrived at the -château a messenger from the king, demanding the custody of a peasant -boy by the name of Geoffrey. - -Poor Geoffrey was again badly frightened, thinking that this time -surely he would receive punishment! But his fears were turned to -delight when Count Boni told him that the king had sent, not to -imprison him, but to have him live in the royal household. The -messenger explained to Boni that when the heralds returned to Paris, -they told King Louis the story of the little boy, and that he was -greatly pleased with the lad’s bravery and devotion, and wished to have -him brought to the palace. - -[Illustration] - -So Geoffrey became a page of King Louis, and was very, very happy. He -was happy, too, because he could now send back to those he loved at -home much more for their comfort than he could as a little serving boy -at the Guillaume-le-Conquérant inn. And then, sometimes, when one of -his messengers had an errand to Dives, the good king would let Geoffrey -go along, and he would then make a little visit to his family, and -would see his dear Count Boni and little Isabeau, who never ceased to -take the greatest pride and interest in him. - -By and by, King Louis discovered how sweet a voice he possessed, and -that it had been well-trained for church music. This pleased the king -much, as he was very devout in his worship, and did a great deal -during his reign to improve the music in the cathedrals of France. So -Geoffrey was at once placed under masters, and he sang for a number -of years in the king’s own chapel, becoming one of the most famous -little choristers of the realm. Later on, as he grew to manhood, he -passed from being a page, to a squire; and after that, he was appointed -man-at-arms in the bodyguard of the king, who grew to love and trust -him greatly. - -Some years later still, when King Louis again set forth for the East, -on the crusade from which he was never to return, Geoffrey was among -the most faithful of the followers who took ship with him. And when the -poor king lay dying, before the walls of the far-away city of Tunis, it -was Geoffrey whose tenderness and devotion helped to comfort the last -days of the stricken monarch. - -When all was over, and the little band of crusaders once more returned -to their homes in France, none among them was more loved and respected -than the Viscount Geoffrey; for shortly before his death the good King -Louis had, with his own hand, bestowed knighthood upon the little -peasant boy, declaring that he had won the distinction, not only -because of his great bravery and his honorable life, but also because -of the exceeding sweetness and gentleness of his character. - - - - - FELIX - - WHO SOUGHT HIS LOST SHEEP AT CHRISTMASTIDE - BY A WAY THAT LED TO HIS - HEART’S DESIRE AND MADE - HIM A FAMOUS CARVER - OF OLD PROVENCE - - -A very long while ago, perhaps as many as two hundred years, the little -Provençal village of Sur Varne was all bustle and stir, for it was the -week before Christmas; and in all the world, no one has known better -how to keep the joyous holiday than have the happy-hearted people of -Provence. - -Everybody was busy, hurrying to and fro, gathering garlands of myrtle -and laurel, bringing home Yule logs with pretty old songs and -ceremonies, and in various ways making ready for the all-important -festival. - -Not a house in Sur Varne but in some manner told the coming of the -blessed birthday, and especially were there great preparations in -the cottage of the shepherd, Père Michaud. This cottage, covered -with white stucco, and thatched with long marsh-grass, stood at the -edge of the village; olive and mulberry trees clustered about it, -and a wild jasmine vine clambered over the doorway, while on this -particular morning all around the low projecting eaves hung a row of -tiny wheat-sheaves, swinging in the crisp December air, and twinkling -in the sunlight like a golden fringe. For the Père Michaud had been -up betimes, making ready the Christmas feast for the birds, which no -Provençal peasant ever forgets at this gracious season; and the birds -knew it, for already dozens of saucy robins and linnets and fieldfares -were gathering in the Père’s mulberry-trees, their mouths fairly -watering with anticipation. - -Within the cottage the good dame, the Misè Michaud, with wide sleeves -rolled up and kirtle tucked back, was hard at work making all manner of -holiday sweetmeats; while in the huge oven beside the blazing hearth -the great Christmas cakes were baking, the famous _pompou_ and almond -pâtés, dear to the hearts of the children of old Provence. - -Now and then, as the cottage door swung open on the dame’s various -errands, one might hear a faint “Baa, baa!” from the sheepfold, where -little Félix Michaud was very busy also. - -Through the crevices of its weather-beaten boards came the sound of -vigorous scrubbing of wool, and sometimes an impatient “Ninette! -Ninette!—thou silly sheep! Wilt thou never stand still?” Or else, in -a softer tone, an eager “Beppo, my little Beppo, dost thou know? Dost -thou know?” To all of which there would come no answer save the lamb’s -weak little “Baa, baa!” - -For Ninette, Beppo’s mother, was a silly old sheep, and Beppo was a -very little lamb; and so they could not possibly be expected to know -what a great honor had suddenly befallen them. They did not dream that, -the night before, Père Michaud had told Félix that his Beppo (for Beppo -was Félix’s very own) had been chosen by the shepherds for the “offered -lamb” of the Christmas Eve procession when the holy midnight mass would -be celebrated in all its festival splendor in the great church of the -village. - -Of the importance of this procession in the eyes of the peasant folk -it is difficult to say enough. To be the offered lamb, or indeed the -offered lamb’s mother, for both always went together, was the greatest -honor and glory that could possibly happen to a Provençal sheep, and -so little Félix was fairly bursting with pride and delight. And so it -was, too, that he was now busying himself washing their wool, which he -determined should shine like spun silver on the great night. - -He tugged away, scrubbing and brushing and combing the thick fleeces, -now and then stopping to stroke Beppo’s nose, or to box Ninette’s -ears when she became too impatient, and at last, after much labor, -considered their toilets done for the day; then, giving each a handful -of fresh hay to nibble, he left the fold and trudged into the cottage. - -“Well, little one,” said the Misè, “hast thou finished thy work?” - -“Yes, mother,” answered Félix; “and I shall scrub them so each day till -the Holy Night! Even now Ninette is white as milk, and Beppo shines -like an angel! Ah, but I shall be proud when he rides up to the altar -in his little cart! And, mother, dost thou not really think him far -handsomer than was Jean’s lamb, that stupid Nano, in the procession -last year?” - -“There, there,” said the Misè, “never thou mind about Jean’s lamb, but -run along now and finish thy crèche.” - -[Illustration] - -Now, in Provence, at the time when Félix lived, no one had ever heard -of such a thing as a Christmas tree; but in its stead every cottage had -a “crèche”; that is, in one corner of the great living-room, the room -of the fireplace, the peasant children and their fathers and mothers -built upon a table a mimic village of Bethlehem, with houses and people -and animals, and, above all, with the manger, where the Christ Child -lay. Every one took the greatest pains to make the crèche as perfect -as possible, and some even went so far as to fasten tiny angels to -the rafters, so that they hovered over the toy houses like a flock of -white butterflies; and sometimes a gold star, hung on a golden thread, -quivered over the little manger, in memory of the wonderful star of the -Magi. - -In the Michaud cottage the crèche was already well under way. In the -corner across from the fireplace the Père had built up a mound, and -this Félix had covered with bits of rock and tufts of grass, and little -green boughs for trees, to represent the rocky hillside of Judea; -then, half-way up, he began to place the tiny houses. These he had -cut out of wood and adorned with wonderful carving, in which he was -very skilful. And then, such figures as he had made, such quaint little -men and women, such marvelous animals, camels and oxen and sheep and -horses, were never before seen in Sur Varne. But the figure on which -he had lavished his utmost skill was that of the little Christ Child, -which was not to be placed in the manger until the Holy Night itself. - -Félix kept this figure in his blouse pocket, carefully wrapped up -in a bit of wool, and he spent all his spare moments striving to -give it some fresh beauty; for I will tell you a secret: poor little -Félix had a great passion for carving, and the one thing for which he -longed above all others was to be allowed to apprentice himself in the -workshop of Père Videau, who was the master carver of the village, -and whose beautiful work on the portals of the great church was the -admiration of Félix’s heart. He longed, too, for better tools than the -rude little knife he had, and for days and years in which to learn to -use them. - -But the Père Michaud had scant patience with these notions of the -little son’s. Once, when Félix had ventured to speak to him about -it, he had insisted rather sharply that he was to stick to his -sheep-tending, so that when the Père himself grew old he could take -charge of the flocks and keep the family in bread; for the Père had -small faith in the art of the carver as being able to supply the big -brown loaves that the Misè baked every week in the great stone oven. So -Félix was obliged to go on minding the flocks; but whenever he had a -moment of his own, he employed it in carving a bit of wood or chipping -at a fragment of soft stone. - -But while I have stopped to tell you all this, he had almost finished -the crèche; the little houses were all in place, and the animals -grouped about the holy stable, or else seeming to crop the tufts of -moss on the mimic rocky hillside. Over the manger with its tiny wisp -of hay, twinkled a wonderful star that Félix had made from some golden -beads that the Misè had treasured for years as part of her peasant -bridal finery. - -Altogether, the crèche was really very prettily arranged, and after -giving several final touches, Félix stood back and surveyed it with -much satisfaction. - -“Well, well!” said the Père Michaud, who had just entered the cottage, -“’tis a fine bit of work thou hast there, my son! Truly ’tis a brave -crèche! But,” he added, “I trow thou hast not forgotten the live sheep -in the fold whilst thou hast been busy with these little wooden images -here?” - -“Nay, father,” answered Félix, “that I have not”—but here the Misè -called them both to the midday meal, which she had spread smoking hot -on the shining deal table. - -When this was finished Félix arose, and, as the Père wished, once more -went out to the fold to see how the sheep, especially his little Beppo, -were faring. - -As he pushed open the swinging door, Ninette, who was lazily dozing -with her toes doubled up under her fleece, blinked her eyes and looked -sleepily around; but Beppo was nowhere to be seen. - -“Ninette!” demanded Félix, fiercely, “what hast thou done with my -Beppo?” - -At this Ninette peered about in a dazed sort of way, and gave an -alarmed little “Baa!” For she had not before missed Beppo, who, while -she was asleep, had managed to push open the door of the fold and -scamper off, no one knew just where. - -Félix gazed around in dismay when he realized that his lamb, the chosen -one, who had brought such pride and honor to him, was gone! - -“Beppo!” he shouted at the top of his lungs, “Beppo! Beppo-o!” - -But no trace could he see of the little bundle of fleece he had -scrubbed and combed so carefully that morning. - -He stood irresolute a moment; then, thinking that if Beppo really were -running off, not a second was to be lost, he set out at a brisk pace -across the sheep-meadow. He had no idea in what direction the truant -lamb would be likely to stray, but on he went, calling every little -while in a shrill voice, “Beppo!” Now and then he fancied that he -saw in the distance a glimpse of white; but once it proved to be the -Misè Fouchard’s linen hung to dry on a currant-bush, and again it was -a great white stone—but no Beppo; and all the while Félix kept on, -quite forgetting that Beppo’s weak, woolly legs could not possibly have -carried him so great a distance. - -By and by he had left the village meadows far behind, and was skirting -the great marsh. Sometimes he shaded his eyes with his hand and looked -far across this low wet land to see if perhaps Beppo had strayed into -its uncertain foothold; but nothing could he see but the waving rushes -and the tall bitterns wading about on long, yellow legs. - -And still he pressed heedlessly on farther and farther, till, after a -while, he found himself thrusting through a thick coppice of willow -boughs. - -“Oh,” thought Félix, “what if poor Beppo has strayed into this -woodland!” Tired as he was, he urged himself on, searching among the -trees; and it was not until he had wandered on and on, deeper and -deeper into the wood, that he realized that the dusk had fallen, and -that he must be a very, very long way from Sur Varne. - -Félix then began to grow uneasy. He stood still and looked anxiously -about him; the dark forest trees closed around him on all sides, and he -was quite unable to remember from which direction he had entered the -wood. - -Now, Félix was really a very brave little fellow, but it must be owned -his heart misgave him, and he fairly quaked as he peered through the -gathering darkness; for in those days the forests of Provence were -known to harbor many dangerous animals, especially wild boars and -wolves. He pricked up his ears, and now and then thought he heard in -the distance the stealthy tread of some four-footed forest prowler, and -once he was sure he caught the deep howl of a wolf. - -That ended his hesitation. He looked quickly around, and grasping the -low boughs of a slender sapling, managed to swing himself up into a -tall chestnut tree that grew close by; and there he clung, clutching -the thick branches with might and main, feeling very cold and hungry -and miserable, his heart all the while sinking clear down into his -little peasant shoes. - -And indeed he had cause for fear, for, not a great while after he had -thus hidden himself, a gaunt wolf really did pass close by, sniffing -and peering, till poor Félix gave up all hope of escaping with his -life; but, luckily, the wolf did not see him, and at last slowly crept -on through the underwood. - -How long the little boy stayed in the perilous shelter of the -chestnut-tree he never knew, but it seemed untold ages to him. After a -while the moon rose, and shed a faint light through the close-lapping -branches; then, by and by, Félix’s ears, strained to listen for every -lightest sound, caught the echo of distant trampling, as of horses’ -hoofs, and presently two horsemen came in sight, pricking their way -cautiously along a narrow bridle-path. - -He did not know whom they might prove to be, but wisely thinking that -anything would be better than staying in a tree all night at the mercy -of hungry wolves, he waited till the first rider came quite close, and -then he plucked up courage to call out faintly: - -“Oh, sir, stop, I pray thee!” - -At this, the rider, who was none other than the noble Count Bernard of -Bois Varne, quickly drew rein and, turning, called to his companion: - -“Ho, Brian! Heardest thou aught?” - -“Nay, my Lord,” answered Brian, who was some paces behind, “naught save -the trampling of our own horses’ hoofs.” - -The count looked all around, and seeing nothing, thought himself -mistaken in the sound, and began to pace on. Then Félix in terror gave -another shout, this time louder, and at the same moment a little twig -he was pressing with his elbow broke away and dropped, striking against -the count’s stirrup; for the bridle-path wound directly under the tree -where Félix was perched. - -The count instantly checked his horse again, and, peering up into the -boughs overhead, he caught sight of Félix, his yellow hair wet with dew -and shining in the moonlight, and his dark eyes wide with fear. - -[Illustration] - -“Heigh-ho!” exclaimed the count, in blank amazement. “Upon my word, -now! what art thou—boy or goblin?” - -At this Félix gave a little sob, for he was very tired and very cold. -He hugged the tree tightly, and steadying himself against the boughs, -at last managed to falter out: - -“Please thee, sir, I am Félix Michaud, and my lamb Beppo, who was to -ride in the Christmas procession, ran off to-day, and—and—I have been -hunting him, I think, ever since—since yesterday!” Here poor Félix -grew a trifle bewildered; it seemed to him so very long ago since he -had set out in search of Beppo. “And I live in Sur Varne.” - -At this the count gave a long whistle. - -“At Sur Varne!” he exclaimed. “If thou speakest truly, my little man, -thou hast indeed a sturdy pair of legs to carry thee thus far.” And -he eyed curiously Félix’s dusty little feet and leathern leggings, -dangling limply from the bough above him. - -“Dost thou know how far distant is Sur Varne from this forest?” - -“Nay, sir,” answered Félix; “but I trow ’tis a great way.” - -“There thou art right,” said the count; “’tis a good two leagues, if it -is a pace. But how now? Thou canst not bide here to become the prey of -hungry wolves, my little night-owl of the yellow hair!” - -And thereupon Count Bernard dexterously raised himself in his stirrups, -and, reaching upward, caught Félix in his arms and swung him down plump -on the saddle-bow in front of him; then, showing him how to steady -himself by holding the pommel, he turned to Brian, his squire, who -while all this was going on had stood by in silent astonishment, and -giving the order to move, the little cavalcade hastened on at a rapid -pace in order to get clear of the forest as quickly as possible. - -Meantime the Count Bernard, who was really a very kind and noble lord, -and who lived in a beautiful castle on the farther verge of the -forest, quite reassured Félix by talking to him kindly, and telling him -of the six days’ journey from which he and his squire, Brian, were just -returning, and how they had been delayed on the way until nightfall. - -“And, by my faith!” said Count Bernard, “’twas a lucky hour for thee -that snapped my horse’s saddle-girth! else we should have passed this -wood by midday—and then, little popinjay, what wouldst thou have done -had we not chanced along to pluck thee from out thy chilly nest? Hey? -Wolves had been but poor comrades for such as thee!” - -At this Félix began to shiver, and the count hastened to add: - -“Nay, my little man, I did but jest with thee! Thou shalt sleep this -night in the strong castle of Bois Varne, with not even a mouse to fret -thy yellow head; and, what is more, thou shalt see the fairest little -maid that ever thou hast set eyes on!” - -And then he told him of his little daughter, the Lady Elinor, and how -she would play with Félix and show him the castle, and how on the -morrow they would see about sending him home to Sur Varne. - -And all the while the count was talking they were trotting briskly -onward, till by and by they emerged from the forest and saw towering -near at hand the castle of Bois Varne. The tall turrets shone and -shimmered in the moonlight, and over the gateway of the drawbridge hung -a lighted cresset—that is, a beautiful wrought-iron basket, in which -blazed a ruddy torch of oil to light them on their way. - -At sight of this the count and Brian spurred on their horses, and were -soon clattering across the bridge and into the great paved courtyard. -The count flung his bridle to a little page who hastened out to meet -him, and then, springing from his saddle, lightly lifted Félix and -swung him to the ground. He then took the boy by the hand and led him -into the great hall of the castle. - -To Félix this looked marvelously beautiful. Christmas garlands of -myrtle hung on the walls, and a great pile of freshly cut laurel boughs -lay on a bench, ready for the morrow’s arranging. But that which took -his eyes most of all was the lovely carving everywhere to be seen. The -benches and tables were covered with it; the wainscot of the spacious -room was richly adorned; and over and about the wide fireplace great -carved dragons of stone curled their long tails and spread their wings -through a maze of intricate traceries. Félix was enchanted, and gazed -around till his eyes almost ached. - -Presently in came running a little girl, laughing with delight. -Bounding up into Count Bernard’s arms, she hugged and kissed him in -true Provençal fashion. Then, catching sight of Félix: - -“Ah, _mon père_,” she exclaimed, “and where foundest thou thy pretty -new page?” - -“Nay, sweetheart,” answered the count, looking down at Félix’s yellow -hair, “’tis no page, but a little goldfinch we found perched in a -chestnut tree as we rode through the forest.” - -Then, smiling at the Lady Elinor’s bewilderment, he told her the little -boy’s story, and she at once slipped down and greeted him kindly. -Then, clapping her hands with pleasure at finding a new playmate, she -declared he must come to see the Christmas crèche which she was just -finishing. - -“Not so fast, _ma chère_!” interposed the count, “we must sup first, -for we are famished as the wolves we left behind us in the forest.” And -thereupon he called in the steward of the castle, who soon set out a -hearty supper on one of the long tables. - -Elinor sat close by, eagerly chattering as they ate, and the moment -Félix had swallowed the last morsel, she seized him by the hand and -hastened across the hall, where her crèche was built upon a carved -bench. The poor little Lady Elinor had no mother, and her father, the -count, had been gone for several days; and although in the castle were -many serving men and women and retainers, yet none of these presumed to -dictate to the little mistress; and so she had put her crèche together -in a very odd fashion. - -“There!” said she, “what thinkest thou of it, Félix? Of a truth, I -fancy somewhat is wanting, yet I know not how to better it!” - -“Yes,” said Félix, bashfully, “it may be I can help thee.” - -And so he set to work rearranging the little houses and figures, till -he succeeded in giving a life-like air to the crèche, and Lady Elinor -danced with delight. - -While placing the little manger he happened to remember the figure of -the Christ Child still in his blouse pocket; this he timidly took out -and showed the little girl, who was charmed, and still more so when he -drew forth a small wooden sheep and a dog, which were also in the same -pocket, and which he begged her to keep. - -The Lady Elinor was so carried away with joy that she flew to the side -of the count, and, grasping both his hands, dragged him across the room -to show him the crèche and the wonderful figures carved by Félix. Félix -himself was covered with confusion when he saw the count coming, and -would gladly have run from the hall, but that was impossible; so he -stood still, his eyes averted and his face crimson. - -“See, _mon père_!” said Elinor, “see this, and this!” And she held up -the carvings for the count’s inspection. - -[Illustration] - -Count Bernard, who had good-naturedly crossed the room to please his -daughter, now opened his eyes wide with surprise. He took the little -figures she handed him and examined them closely, for he was a good -judge of artistic work of this kind. Then he looked at Félix, and at -length he said: - -“Well, little forest bird, who taught thee the carver’s craft?” - -“No one, sir,” faltered Félix; “indeed, I wish, above all things, to -learn of the Père Videau, the master carver; but my father says I must -be a shepherd, as he is.” - -Here a tear rolled down Félix’s cheek, for he was half frightened and -terribly tired. - -“Well, well,” said the count, “never mind! Thou art weary, little one; -we will talk of this more on the morrow. ’Tis high time now that both -of you were sound asleep. Hey, there! Jean! Jacques! Come hither and -take care of this little lad, and see to it that he hath a soft bed and -a feather pillow!” - -The next morning the children ate a merry breakfast together, and after -it Count Bernard took Félix aside and asked him many questions of his -life and his home. Then, by and by, knowing how anxious the boy’s -parents would be, he ordered his trusty squire, Brian, to saddle a -horse and conduct Félix back to Sur Varne. - -Meantime the little Lady Elinor begged hard that he stay longer in -the castle for her playfellow, and was quite heartbroken when she -saw the horse standing ready in the courtyard. Indeed, she would not -be satisfied until her father, the count, who could not bear to see -her unhappy, had promised to take her over some day to see Félix -in Sur Varne. Then she smiled and made a pretty farewell courtesy, -and suddenly snatching from her dark hair a crimson ribbon of Lyons -taffeta, she tied it about Félix’s sleeve, declaring: - -“There! thou must keep this token, and be my little knight!” for the -Lady Elinor had many lofty notions in her small curly head. - -Félix could only stammer out an embarrassed good by, for in the -presence of this lively little maid he found himself quaking more than -when he feared the terrible wolves of the forest. In another moment -Brian lifted him to the saddle, and, springing up behind, took the -bridle-rein, and off they went. - -When, after several hours’ riding, they drew near Sur Varne, Félix -showed Brian the way to the Michaud cottage, and you can fancy how -overjoyed were the Père and Misè to see the travelers; for they had -been nearly beside themselves with grief, and had searched all night -for their little son. - -Of course almost the first question Félix asked was about Beppo, and he -felt a great load taken off his mind when he learned that the little -truant, who really had not strayed very far from the village, had been -found and brought home by one of the shepherds, and was even then -penned up safe and sound in the sheepfold. - -After a good night’s sleep Félix was quite rested from his journey. He -was busy the next day in helping to garland the Yule log, in giving -Ninette and Beppo an extra scrubbing and brushing, and in all the final -happy preparations for the great holiday. - -And so Christmas Eve came. It was a lovely starlit night, and on all -sides one could hear the beautiful Christmas songs of old Provence, -that all the peasants and the children sing as they troop along the -roads on their way to the great church of the village; for thither -every one flocks as the expected hour draws on. - -Within the church all was a blaze of light; hundreds of tall wax tapers -shone and twinkled and shed their golden glow over the altar, and a -wonderful crèche with its manger and almost life-size figures stood on -another special altar of its own. - -Then presently the stately service began, and went on with song and -incense, and the sweet chanting of children’s voices, till suddenly -from the upper tower of the church a joyous peal of bells rang in the -midnight! All at once, through the dense throng of worshipers nearest -the door a pathway opened, and in came four peasants playing on pipes -and flutes and flageolets a quaint old air made up nearly three hundred -years before by good King René for just such a ceremony as was to -follow. - -After the pipers walked ten shepherds, two by two, each wearing a long -brown cloak, and carrying a staff and lighted candle; that is, all save -the first two, and these bore, one a basket of fruit, melons and grapes -and pears of sunny Provence, while the other held in his hands a pair -of pretty white pigeons with rose-colored eyes and soft, fluttering -wings. - -And then, behind the shepherds came—what do you suppose?—Ninette! -Ninette, her fleece shining like snow, a garland of laurel and myrtle -about her neck, and twigs of holly nodding behind her ears; while bound -about her woolly shoulders a little harness of scarlet leather shone -against the white with dazzling effect; and fastened to the harness, -and trundling along at Ninette’s heels, came the gayest of little -wooden carts. It was painted in the brightest colors. Its wheels were -wrapped with garlands, and in it, curled up in a fat fleecy ball, lay -Beppo! Tied about his neck in a huge bow was a crimson ribbon of Lyons -taffeta, with a sprig of holly tucked into its loops. - -Beppo lay quite still, looking about him with a bewildered, half-dazed -expression, and just behind his cart came ten more shepherds with -staves and candles, while following them was a great throng of peasant -folk and children, among them Félix, all carrying lighted tapers, and -radiant with delight; for this was the Procession of the Offered Lamb, -and to walk in its train was considered by all the greatest honor and -privilege. - -And especially did the shepherd folk love the beautiful old custom -which for centuries the people of Provence had cherished in memory of -the time, long ago, when the real Christ Child lay in the manger of -Bethlehem, and the shepherds of Judea sought him out to worship him, -and to offer him their fruits and lambs as gifts. - -And so, on, up the long aisle, the procession slowly moved; the pipers -playing, and Ninette marching solemnly along, only now and then pausing -to thrust her nose between the Père Michaud and his companion, who -walked directly in front of her. Ninette pattered on as if she had trod -the floors of churches all her life; and as for Beppo, only once did he -stir, and then he gave a faint “Baa!” and tried to uncurl himself and -stand up; but just then the queer little cart gave a joggle which quite -upset his shaky lamb legs, and down he sank, and kept quiet throughout -the rest of the time. - -When the procession reached the altar the musicians stopped playing, -and the first two shepherds, kneeling, presented the pigeons and the -basket of fruit; and then the little cart was wheeled up so as to bring -Beppo directly in front of all, and the whole company knelt as the -priest blessed the offerings. - -After this beautiful ceremony which ended the service, the players -again struck up King René’s tune, and the procession, shepherds, -Ninette, Beppo, peasants, and all, once more moved on, this time down -the outer aisle and toward the great open portal. - -It took some time for the last of its followers to reach the doorway, -for the throng was very great; but at length Félix, who had marched -with the children in the last group, came to the threshold and stepped -out into the starry night. - -He stood for a moment smiling and gazing aimlessly ahead, overwhelmed -with the glory of all that had passed within the church. Presently he -felt some one pluck his sleeve, and turning round, he met the dancing -eyes of the little Lady Elinor. - -She gave a little peal of laughter at his surprise, and exclaimed: “Oh, -I coaxed _mon père_, the count, to fetch me hither for this blessed -night. Thou knowest he promised! I rode my white palfrey all the way by -the side of his big brown horse. And I have seen the procession, and -Beppo with my red ribbon round his neck.” Here she gave another little -gurgle of delight. - -“And oh, Félix, my father hath seen thine, and ’tis all settled! Thou -art to be a famous carver with the Père Videau, as thou wishest,”—for -the Lady Elinor had unbounded faith in Félix’s powers, “and, Félix,” -she added, “I trow ’twas the little Christ Child for thy crèche that -did it!” - -Then, with a merry smile, she darted off to her father, the Count -Bernard, who was waiting for her down the church path. - -For a little while after she had gone Félix did not move, but stood as -one in a dream. Elinor’s sweet words, ringing in his ears, mingled with -the glad songs the peasants were again singing on their homeward way, -till altogether he did not quite know whether he was awake or asleep, -but only felt an indistinct notion that some wonderful fairy, who had -the face of a little maid he knew, had whispered in his ear something -that was to make him happy forever. - -Presently a loud bleat close at his side startled him, and looking -down, he saw that Ninette, decked in her gay garlands, and still -dragging the be-ribboned Beppo in the little cart, had broken away from -the Père Michaud and come close up to himself. - -Then, with a sudden movement, he stooped over, and, seizing Beppo -in both arms, hugged and squeezed him till poor Beppo squeaked with -surprise, and opened his red mouth and gasped for breath. But Félix -only hugged him the harder, murmuring under his breath, “Bless thy -little heart, Beppo! Bless thy little heart!” For in a vague way he -realized that the truant lamb had somehow brought him his heart’s -desire, and that was quite enough Christmas happiness for one year. - -And the little Lady Elinor was right, too. Years after, when Félix grew -to be a man, he did, in very truth, become a “famous carver,” as she -had declared. - -Far surpassing his first master, the Père Videau, he traveled and -worked in many cities; yet never, through all his long life, did he -forget that Christmas Eve in the little village of Sur Varne. - -Those who knew him best said that among his dearest treasures he always -kept a beautifully carved little box, and in it a bit of faded crimson -ribbon from the looms of Lyons. While, as for Beppo—well, if ever some -happy day you chance to visit the lovely land of Provence, perhaps you -will see a certain grand old cathedral in the ancient city of Arles; -and, if you do, look sharp at the figure of a lamb chiseled in white -stone over the great portal. Look well, I say, for Félix, when he -carved it, would have told you that he was thinking all the while of -Beppo. - - - - - TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: - -—Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected. - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Troubadour Tales, by Evaleen Stein - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TROUBADOUR TALES *** - -***** This file should be named 50268-0.txt or 50268-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/0/2/6/50268/ - -Produced by Giovanni Fini, David Edwards and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, -set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to -copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to -protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project -Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you -charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you -do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the -rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose -such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and -research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do -practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is -subject to the trademark license, especially commercial -redistribution. - - - -*** START: FULL LICENSE *** - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project -Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at -http://gutenberg.org/license). - - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy -all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. -If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the -terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or -entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement -and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" -or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the -collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an -individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are -located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from -copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative -works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg -are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project -Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by -freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of -this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with -the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by -keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project -Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in -a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check -the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement -before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or -creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project -Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning -the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United -States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate -access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently -whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, -copied or distributed: - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived -from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is -posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied -and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees -or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work -with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the -work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 -through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the -Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or -1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional -terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked -to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the -permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any -word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or -distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than -"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version -posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), -you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a -copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon -request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other -form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided -that - -- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is - owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he - has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the - Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments - must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you - prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax - returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and - sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the - address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to - the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." - -- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or - destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium - and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of - Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any - money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days - of receipt of the work. - -- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set -forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from -both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael -Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the -Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm -collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain -"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or -corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual -property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a -computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by -your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with -your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with -the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a -refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity -providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to -receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy -is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further -opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER -WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO -WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. -If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the -law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be -interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by -the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any -provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance -with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, -promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, -harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, -that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do -or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm -work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any -Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. - - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers -including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists -because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from -people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need, are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. -To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation -and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 -and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. - - -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive -Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at -http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent -permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. -Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered -throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at -809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email -business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact -information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official -page at http://pglaf.org - -For additional contact information: - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To -SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any -particular state visit http://pglaf.org - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. -To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate - - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm -concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared -with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project -Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. - - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. -unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily -keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. - - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: - - http://www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/old/50268-0.zip b/old/50268-0.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 2443ded..0000000 --- a/old/50268-0.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/50268-h.zip b/old/50268-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 6e143d6..0000000 --- a/old/50268-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/50268-h/50268-h.htm b/old/50268-h/50268-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index 71b422d..0000000 --- a/old/50268-h/50268-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,4865 +0,0 @@ -<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" - "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> -<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> - <head> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> - <title> - The Project Gutenberg eBook of Troubadour Tales, by Virginia Keep. - </title> - <link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg" /> - <style type="text/css"> - -body {margin-left: 10%; - margin-right: 10%;} - -div.limit {max-width: 35em; - margin-left: auto; - margin-right: auto;} - -.bord {border: solid 4px; - margin-left: 15%; - margin-right: 15%; - margin-bottom: 2em;} - -div.chapter {page-break-before: always;} - -.ls {letter-spacing: 0.2em;} - -.font {font-family: sans-serif;} - - - h1,h2 {text-align: center; - clear: both;} - -p {margin-top: 0.2em; - text-align: justify; - margin-bottom: 0em; - text-indent: 1.5em;} - -.pc {margin-top: 0.2em; - text-align: center; - margin-bottom: 0em; - text-indent: 0em;} - -.pch {margin-top: 1em; - margin-bottom: 1.5em; - text-align: center; - font-size: 115%; - text-indent: 0em;} - -.pc1 {margin-top: 1em; - text-align: center; - margin-bottom: 0em; - text-indent: 0em;} - -.pc2 {margin-top: 2em; - text-align: center; - margin-bottom: 0em; - text-indent: 0em;} - -.pc4 {margin-top: 4em; - text-align: center; - margin-bottom: 0em; - text-indent: 0em;} - -.pp5n {margin-top: 0em; - font-size: 90%; - text-align: left; - padding-left: 5em; - margin-bottom: 0em; - text-indent: 0em;} - -.pp6n {margin-top: 0em; - font-size: 90%; - text-align: left; - padding-left: 6em; - margin-bottom: 0em; - text-indent: 0em;} - -.pp8n {margin-top: 0em; - font-size: 90%; - text-align: left; - padding-left: 8em; - margin-bottom: 0em; - text-indent: 0em;} - -.pp10n {margin-top: 0em; - font-size: 90%; - text-align: left; - padding-left: 10em; - margin-bottom: 0em; - text-indent: 0em;} - -.pn1 {margin-top: 1em; - text-align: justify; - margin-bottom: 0em; - text-indent: 0em;} - -.ptn {margin-top: 0.3em; - text-align: justify; - margin-bottom: 0; - text-indent: -1em; - margin-left: 2%;} - -.p1 {margin-top: 1em;} -.p4 {margin-top: 4em;} - -.small {font-size: 75%;} -.lmid {font-size: 110%;} -.mid {font-size: 125%;} -.elarge {font-size: 175%;} - -hr {width: 33%; - margin-top: 2em; - margin-bottom: 2em; - margin-left: 33.5%; - margin-right: 33.5%; - clear: both;} - -hr.chap {width: 65%; - margin-left: 17.5%; - margin-right: 17.5%;} - -hr.dec1 {width: 10%; - margin-left: 45%; - margin-right: 45%; - margin-top: 0.5em; - margin-bottom: 0.5em;} - -hr.full {width: 100%; - margin-left: 0; - margin-right: 0; - border: solid 2px; - color: black;} - -table {margin-left: auto; - margin-right: auto;} - -#toc {width: 60%; - line-height: 1em; - margin-top: 1em;} - - .tdr {text-align: right;} - -.pagenum { /* visibility: hidden; */ - position: absolute; - left: 94%; - color: gray; - font-size: smaller; - text-align: right; - text-indent: 0em; - font-style: normal; - font-weight: normal;} - -.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} - -.figcenter {margin: auto; - text-align: center; - margin-top: 2em; - margin-bottom: 2em;} - -.transnote {background-color: #E6E6FA; - color: black; - font-size:smaller; - padding:0.5em; - margin-bottom:5em; - font-family:sans-serif, serif; } - </style> - </head> -<body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Troubadour Tales, by Evaleen Stein - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: Troubadour Tales - -Author: Evaleen Stein - -Illustrator: Virgina Keep - Maxfield Parrish - B. Rosenmeyer - Edward Edwards - -Release Date: October 21, 2015 [EBook #50268] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TROUBADOUR TALES *** - - - - -Produced by Giovanni Fini, David Edwards and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - -</pre> - -<div class="limit"> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_i" id="Page_i">[i]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/cover.jpg" width="350" height="556" alt="" /> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_ii" id="Page_ii">[ii]</a></span></p> - -<p class="pc4 elarge">Troubadour Tales</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iii" id="Page_iii">[iii]</a></span></p> - -<p> </p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iv" id="Page_iv">[iv]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/fr.jpg" width="400" height="540" - alt="" - title="" /> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[v]</a></span></p> - -<div class="bord p4"> -<h1>Troubadour Tales</h1> -<p class="pc1 mid"><i>By</i> Evaleen Stein</p> - -<hr class="full" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/title.jpg" width="300" height="127" - alt="" - title="" /> -</div> - -<hr class="full" /> - -<p class="pc lmid"> -With Illustrations<br /> -By Virginia Keep<br /> -Maxfield Parrish<br /> -B. Rosenmeyer &<br /> -Edward Edwards</p> - -<p class="pc4">Indianapolis<br /> -The Bobbs-Merrill Company<br /> -Publishers</p> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">[vi]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class="pc4 small">Copyright 1903<br /> -The Bobbs-Merrill Company</p> - -<hr class="dec1" /> - -<p class="pc small">July</p> - -<p class="pc4 small"><i>Printed in the United States of America</i></p> - -<div class="font"> -<p class="pc2 small">PRESS OF<br /> -BRAUNWORTH & CO.<br /> -BOOK MANUFACTURERS<br /> -BROOKLYN, N. Y.</p> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[vii]</a></span></p> - -<p class="pc4 elarge">To My Mother</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_viii" id="Page_viii">[viii]</a></span></p> - -<p> </p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_ix" id="Page_ix">[ix]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">Contents</h2> - -<table id="toc" summary="cont"> - - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">The Page of Count Reynaurd</span></td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_1">1</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">The Lost Rune</span></td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_27">27</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Count Hugo’s Sword</span></td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_76">76</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Felix</span></td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_132">132</a></td> - </tr> - -</table> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_x" id="Page_x">[x]</a></span></p> - -<p> </p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xi" id="Page_xi">[xi]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p class="pc4 elarge">Troubadour Tales</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xii" id="Page_xii">[xii]</a></span></p> - -<p> </p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> - - -<h2 class="p4">THE PAGE OF COUNT REYNAURD</h2> - -<p class="pch">HOW HE EARNED THE FAVOR OF KING RENÉ AND<br /> -WON A SILVER CUP FOR CLEVERNESS<br /> -IN THE LATIN TONGUE</p><br /> - - -<p>“<span class="smcap">Pierrot</span>! Pierrot! are thy saddle-bags -well fastened? And how fare my lutestrings? -Have a care lest some of them snap with jogging -over this rough bit of road. And, Pierrot, -next time we pass a fine periwinkle thou hadst -best jump down and pluck a fresh bunch for my -Barbo’s ears.”</p> - -<p>The speaker, Count Reynaurd of Poitiers, -patted the fluffy black mane of his horse Barbo, -and loosened the great nosegay of blue flowers<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span> -tucked into his harness and nodding behind his -ears. Barbo was gaily decked out; long sprays -of myrtle dangled from his saddle-bow, and a -wreath of periwinkle and violets hung round -his neck; for the Count Reynaurd was not only -a noble lord, but also a famous troubadour. -That is to say, he spent his time riding from -castle to castle, playing on his lute or viol, and -singing beautiful songs of his own making.</p> - -<p>In the days when he lived, which was many -hundred years ago, there were numberless such -poet-singers strolling over the sunny land of -France, and especially that part which lies to -the south and is called Provence. Many of the -greatest of these kept little pages to wait upon -them and carry their musical instruments; and -so it was that Pierrot rode a little white palfrey -by the side of Count Reynaurd, and carried his -lute, and gathered the periwinkle for the gay -bouquets that decorated Barbo’s ears.</p> - -<p>It was May-time, and they were journeying -through the lovely land of Provence, which was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span> -quite enough to make any one happy, and the -count and Pierrot were fairly brimming over -with good humor as they rode along. They -were bound for the old town of Aix, where in -those days stood the palace of the good King -René, whom everybody loved.</p> - -<p>Now, King René himself was a troubadour, -although he could not wander about over the -country as did the others, but was obliged to -stay in Aix and govern his people. Yet he -spent hours and hours every day writing poetry -and making up music for it; and he delighted -above all things to gather about him all who -could finger a lutestring or sing a merry song. -There were always dozens of fine troubadours -staying with King René, and he was never -weary of adding to their number, and of seeking -out the best in France; and so it chanced -he had heard much of the great skill of Pierrot’s -master and also of another noble lord, the Count -William of Auvergne. The friends of each of -these boasted that none other in all France was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span> -worthy to be called the champion of the troubadours. -So René had sent messages to both, inviting -them to come and visit him, and to hold -a contest of song, saying he would give a beautiful -collar of jewels to the one who sang the -better.</p> - -<p>In response to this invitation, the Count William -was already in Aix, having come the day -before, after a long journey from his castle in -Auvergne. He was now resting, awaiting the -Count Reynaurd, and pleasing himself in thinking -of the glory of winning the jeweled collar; -for he fully expected by and by to carry it off as -his prize.</p> - -<p>Meantime, Count Reynaurd and Pierrot trotted -gaily along the road to Aix. The almond-trees -were in flower, and from one of them -Pierrot had broken a little switch covered with -rosy blossoms, with which he now and then -tapped the flank of his little white palfrey, who -would then kick up her heels and frisk along -at a rollicking pace. Pierrot’s own legs looked<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> -lovely in party-colored hose, the right being -a beautiful pearl-gray and the left a delicate -robin’s-egg blue; his doublet was of pink silk -embroidered in silver and slashed with white -satin; and on his head he wore a jaunty cap -with a long feather. He was a handsome little -fellow, with bright eyes and dark curls, and -as gay and lively as the great black crickets -that live in Provence.</p> - -<p>His master, Count Reynaurd, looked very -stately in a suit of plum-colored velvet, with a -collar of fine lace fastened with a golden violet, -which he often felt, so as to be sure he had not -lost it and that it was still tightly clasped. For -the gold violet was a prize that the count had -just won in the town of Toulouse, whither, every -May-time, all the troubadours used to go and -hold great contests, called the Games of Flowers. -At these games each one sang a song, -and the most skillful received prizes, a violet -of gold and a rose of silver being the most -wished for.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span></p> - -<p>So Count Reynaurd was very proud and -happy thinking how finely the violet would -serve to clasp the collar of jewels he expected -to win from King René, and he smiled pleasantly -when Pierrot called out to him:</p> - -<p>“See, my Lord! are not those the high towers -of Aix?”</p> - -<p>Count Reynaurd looked ahead, and, sure -enough, far in the distance rose the city of -Aix. They set their horses a-galloping, and in -a little while found themselves riding through -its quaint, crooked streets, till they reached the -great square where stood the king’s palace. -This was a very beautiful one, strangely built, -with two ancient round towers and a wide -porch with many pillars; all about it was a -lovely garden full of orange and acacia trees, -and sweet roses and jasmines clambered over -everything.</p> - -<p>Count Reynaurd and Pierrot dismounted at -the palace gate, and were led into the great -hall where sat King René, wearing a blue robe<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> -embroidered in bright flowers. He was an old -man, and his hair and long beard were quite -white, but he was gay and happy-hearted as -Pierrot himself. When he saw the Count Reynaurd -enter the hall, he arose from his throne -and came down and embraced and kissed him, -and patted Pierrot kindly. For René was not -like most kings, who are very particular to have -everybody about them as stiff and uncomfortable -as possible.</p> - -<p>Then presently the Count William, who had -been walking in the garden, hearing of the -arrival of Reynaurd, came hurrying in, his -own little page Henri following close upon his -heels. He greeted Count Reynaurd very cordially, -for he had often met him at the games -of Toulouse, and the little pages Henri and -Pierrot soon became the best of friends also.</p> - -<p>As the day was now drawing to a close, the -good old king invited them all into the banquet -hall, where were already gathered numbers of -troubadours, and minnesingers who were the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> -troubadours of Germany. Some were eating -and drinking; some were telling stories or -making up poetry; while still others were playing -on all sorts of musical instruments, and -were altogether having the jolliest kind of time.</p> - -<p>Reynaurd and Pierrot were very hungry after -their long ride, and so were glad to sit down at -one of the long tables while the king’s seneschals -brought in roasted boar’s-head and venison -pasties, and large baskets of the fine white -bread of Provence and of brown marchpanes, -which were nice little old-time French cookies -full of raisins and covered with nuts and poppy-seeds.</p> - -<p>Pierrot waited upon his master very prettily, -and then feasted upon dainties to his -heart’s content, all the while listening with delight -to the gay songs of the troubadours and -minnesingers. By and by his curly head began -to nod, and he fell asleep while still munching -a marchpane, and slept so soundly that he had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> -to be shaken when it was time to go upstairs, -where a little cot was spread for him close to -the great canopied bed of the Count Reynaurd.</p> - -<p>So the days passed merrily on. But when, -time after time, King René fixed a day for the -contest between the Counts Reynaurd and William, -they would plead that they were not ready; -for they had grown so lazy and pampered by the -life they led in the palace that they dawdled away -their time in idle pleasure.</p> - -<p>At last the king grew impatient, and declared -that he would shut them up, each in his own -room, where they must stay for ten days composing -their songs; and he commanded that -then they should appear before him, and be -judged and rewarded according to their skill.</p> - -<p>So Count William and Count Reynaurd were -escorted up the palace stairway to their chamber -doors, and each agreed, upon his knightly honor, -which was a very solemn vow indeed, that he -would not set foot beyond his threshold until<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> -the day appointed by the good king; and it became -the duty of Pierrot and Henri to bring -food and wait upon their noble masters.</p> - -<p>But these two masters fared differently in -their song-making. In the apartments of Henri’s -lord, things went far from smoothly; for, -although Count William was really a very -accomplished troubadour, yet when he found -himself shut up and obliged to make a song, -not a word could he write. Indeed, poets declare -that this is often the way with them; -most beautiful verses will suddenly pop into -their heads, sometimes in the middle of the -night, so that they have to jump up in the dark -to get pencil and paper to write them down before -they forget; while, many times, if they -have paper and pen ready, so contrary are their -wits that very likely they can not write a word! -And so it was with the Count William.</p> - -<p>He fussed and fumed, but not even the least -little bit of a rhyme could he make; and the -more he wished it, the more impossible it seemed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> -to become. He strode up and down the room; -he snatched his paper and tore it into bits; and -then he scolded Henri till the poor little fellow -tiptoed out in his little pointed velvet shoes, and -fled to the garden, where he sat down under an -orange tree, and consoled himself with some -fresh cookies that one of the kitchen scullions -brought out to him. As he crunched down the -sugary morsels he now and then flung a crumb -to the pretty goldfishes in a fountain by his side; -and then he wondered what any one wanted to -make up poetry for anyway, especially when it -was May-time and one might sit in King René’s -garden, and above all, on a day when King -René’s cooks were making sweetmeats.</p> - -<p>Meantime, across the corridor from Henri’s -master things were going on very differently -with the noble Reynaurd and Pierrot. As luck -would have it, this count was getting on famously. -He had composed a most beautiful -poem, and lovely music by which to sing it, -and was altogether so pleased with himself and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> -all the world that he snapped his fingers joyously, -and fetched Pierrot a playful slap on the -shoulder, crying, “Hey, Pierrot, just listen -to this!” And then in a loud voice he began -to sing.</p> - -<p>Pierrot was so delighted that he clapped his -hands, and declared he was quite sure his lord -would win the prize, and shame the Count William -into everlasting silence. Then he helped -himself to a couple of great golden oranges -from a basket he had just brought to Reynaurd, -and strutted out to air himself, and to boast to -Henri of his master’s superior skill.</p> - -<p>Meantime, Count Reynaurd sang over and -over his new song, each time roaring it out -louder and louder, till his lungs fairly ached.</p> - -<p>While all this was going on, the Count William, -in a great rage, was still striding up and -down the floor of his chamber, which happened -to be across the corridor and at no great distance -from that of the happy Reynaurd. And, -as it happened also, when Pierrot went out he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> -forgot to close the door behind him—a fact -which Count Reynaurd had not noticed. The -door was very thick and heavy, and fitted badly -between the stone walls, so it was not to be -wondered at that Pierrot did not manage to -latch it.</p> - -<p>As it was, the loud voice of Count Reynaurd -came rolling forth, and suddenly the Count -William, angrily pacing the floor, stood stock-still -and pricked up his ears.</p> - -<p>Now, the count’s ears were famous for being -extraordinarily sharp, and he was also wonderfully -apt at remembering anything to which he -had once carefully listened. He knew in a moment -the voice of Count Reynaurd, and then -a broad smile crept over his face, and he listened -harder than ever.</p> - -<p>As Reynaurd kept singing over and over -again, it was not long till Count William had -the whole song by heart, and then, seizing his -own lute, he began practising it very softly.</p> - -<p>“Ha, ha, ha!” he laughed to himself.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> -“Thou great foolish Reynaurd! Canst thou -never learn how to hold thy tongue? But -never mind, I will play such a trick on thee as -will teach thee a lesson thou’lt not soon forget. -Ha, ha, ha!” And then he practised longer, -till he knew both the poetry and music as well -as Count Reynaurd himself.</p> - -<p>The next day, Pierrot, still exulting over his -master’s skill, happened to meet Henri in the -garden, and asked how his noble lord was getting -on.</p> - -<p>“Oh!” said Henri, “finely. He has just -made a lovely new song!” And with that he -hummed a snatch of the melody he had heard -Count William singing, and which he thought -his master had composed.</p> - -<p>As Pierrot heard the music he could scarce -believe his ears; first he was speechless with -astonishment, but at last he sputtered out:</p> - -<p>“It is not true—it is stolen! That is my -dear master’s, the Count Reynaurd’s!”</p> - -<p>“Pierrot,” burst in Henri, “I would have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> -thee understand that my noble lord, the Count -William, does not steal, and is a far better -singer, anyhow, than thy great Reynaurd!”</p> - -<p>From this matters went from bad to worse, -till the two little pages were just on the point of -coming to blows; but, fortunately, at this point -one of King René’s seneschals caught sight of -them, and, hastening up, gave each a sound -cuff on the ear, crying out as he did so:</p> - -<p>“Ho, ye saucy little knaves! Know ye not -the good king will have no brawlers upon these -palace grounds? Take that, sirrahs! and see -to it that ye behave more seemly hereafter.”</p> - -<p>The pages being thus forcibly separated, -Pierrot ran as fast as his legs could carry him -up the palace stairs, and burst into his master’s -chamber, panting out indignantly:</p> - -<p>“Dear Lord Reynaurd, the wicked Count -William has stolen thy beautiful song and will -win the prize! And I tried to stop Henri, and—o-o-oh—” -Here poor Pierrot, still smarting -under the cuff from the seneschal, quite broke<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> -down, and was obliged to double his fists very -hard and bite his lips to keep back the angry -tears.</p> - -<p>At first Count Reynaurd gasped with astonishment, -and then jumped up in a towering -passion. But by and by his wits came back to -him, and he remembered that Count William -had always been a good friend of his; but then -his heart misgave him as he remembered, too, -that Count William was a famous joker, and -loved a jest above all things.</p> - -<p>The more he thought of it, the more sure he -felt that William only meant in some way to -tease him, though he could not understand -how he had learned the song. Just then his -eyes fell on the door, that Pierrot in his haste -had left unfastened, as usual; and then it -flashed through Count Reynaurd’s mind how -Count William had found out about the music. -Reynaurd, moreover, had no doubt but that, -before the king, William would probably sing -the piece as his own,—a thing which he could<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> -easily do, as René had announced that they -would be called on in alphabetical order, according -to the names of their domains; and as -Auvergne thus came before Poitiers, Reynaurd -knew that Count William would sing first, and -that it would then be hard to make the people -believe that the song was his and not William’s; -yet he determined, if possible, to try in some -way to get the better of him.</p> - -<p>He thought and thought very hard for a little -while, and then suddenly he said to Pierrot:</p> - -<p>“Pierrot, dost thou still remember the Latin -tongue that good Father Ambrose taught thee -last winter in our castle in Poitiers?”</p> - -<p>The little page assured his lord that he did, -for he was really a clever scholar in the Latin -tongue, which both his master and the Count -William understood but indifferently.</p> - -<p>Then Count Reynaurd called him close to his -side, and whispered a plan to him that seemed -to please them both mightily. Pierrot at once -took the goose-quill pen that Reynaurd handed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> -him, and after screwing up his face and working -very carefully, he wrote these lines:</p> - -<p class="pp6n p1">Hoc carmen non composui,<br /> -Quod cano, quod cano!</p> - -<p class="pn1">and this he took great pains to teach his master.</p> - -<p>The next day Count Reynaurd sang his song -over again and again, and Pierrot purposely left -the door ajar. Count William noticed that after -every stanza there were two new lines added -in another tongue:</p> - -<p class="pp6n p1">Hoc carmen non composui,<br /> -Quod cano, quod cano!</p> - -<p class="p1">At first this puzzled Count William very -much indeed.</p> - -<p>“Faugh!” he said to himself at length, -“that ridiculous Reynaurd is seeking to give -a learned air to his poetry! I dare say he has -picked up those lines out of some old manuscript, -and thinks to pass himself off for a great -scholar.”</p> - -<p>Then Count William tried to make out the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> -meaning of the words, which were fitted into -the rhyme of the stanzas in such a way that -they could not well be left out. He studied -over them till he thought he understood them, -though, as it turned out, he was quite mistaken. -But as it was a common way with the troubadours -to end every stanza with similar lines, -which they called the refrain, Count William -suspected nothing, and set himself to work to -learn the new words.</p> - -<p>The time that the king had allowed the rival -noblemen was now almost up, and in two days -more the song-contest took place.</p> - -<p>The great banqueting-hall had been beautifully -hung with garlands of flowers and gay banners. -At one end of it the king’s throne stood on -a dais, and over it swung a scarlet canopy like -an enormous poppy-flower turned upside down. -In the middle of the room were placed long tables, -and in the palace kitchens the cooks were -running about busying themselves preparing the -great feast that was to follow.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span></p> - -<p>By and by King René came into the hall and -took his seat on the throne. He wore a rich -robe of purple velvet, embroidered all over in -the brightest silks and gold; after him came -a great troupe of troubadours and minnesingers, -some carrying their own harps or viols, and -some followed by little pages who bore their -masters’ belongings.</p> - -<p>As the good King René looked at his gay -company and the brilliantly lighted hall and the -long tables, his eyes sparkled with delight, and -his heart swelled with joy when he thought of -the coming contest; for he was never so pleased -as when thus surrounded by his dear troubadours, -whom he loved to make in every way as -happy as possible.</p> - -<p>Then, when all was ready, a gaily dressed -herald came into the hall, and kneeling before -the king, and bowing to the assembled company, -announced the coming of the two counts, -William and Reynaurd. All the other troubadours -and minnesingers stood up, and King<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> -René smiled graciously as the two noblemen -entered, followed by their pages, Pierrot and -Henri, each of whom carried a viol bedecked -with long silken ribbons.</p> - -<p>When the counts had saluted the king and -taken their places before him, he commanded a -seneschal to bear in the prize; and so the -beautiful collar of jewels was brought in upon a -silver tray and placed on a carved bench beside -the king. Then a herald stepped out, and, -lifting the collar upon the point of a flower-wreathed -lance, displayed it to all the company -and announced the terms of the contest of song -about to take place.</p> - -<p>This ceremony was a great deal better and -prettier than the customs of most of the other -royal courts of that time. In all the lands except -where King René lived, when the people -desired entertainment, they used to gather together -to see contests called tournaments, in -which noble lords tried to overthrow one another -with real lances on which were no garlands.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> -But King René could not endure such barbarous -displays, and so in his palace no one fought -another except with pretty verses, and the best -poet was champion.</p> - -<p>When all the usual ceremonies had been -gone through, the king called Count William to -step forth first and sing his song. There was a -merry twinkle in the count’s eyes as he took -his viol from Henri, hung the silken ribbons -about his neck, and then, after striking a few -soft notes with the tips of his fingers, began to -sing, as his own, the song made up by Count -Reynaurd. He went through the whole piece, -although each time when he came to the Latin -lines he mumbled them over so that the words -sounded indistinct, and one could not be certain -just what they were.</p> - -<p>When he had finished, the king was delighted, -and all the listeners clapped their hands -and wondered how it would be possible for -Count Reynaurd to do better. Indeed, they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> -looked rather pityingly on Reynaurd, as one -already defeated.</p> - -<p>Then, when the cheers had somewhat quieted -down, King René commanded Count Reynaurd -to stand forth and take his turn for the prize. -Reynaurd quietly stepped out, and, saluting -the king, said:</p> - -<p>“My royal liege, the song to which you have -just listened was not the work of Count William -of Auvergne, but of myself, Reynaurd of Poitiers.”</p> - -<p>At this, as Count Reynaurd had expected, -every one looked incredulous, and Count William -pretended to be very indignant, and declared -that he had not been outside of his own -apartments for the ten days; that he had not -set eyes on Count Reynaurd through all that -time; and altogether he appeared to be terribly -angry that Count Reynaurd should hint that -the song belonged to him.</p> - -<p>Count Reynaurd, however, asked but one<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> -thing of the king, who readily granted his request. -It was that Count William be commanded -to sing the song once more, and that -each time he should sing the Latin lines as plainly -as possible.</p> - -<p>Count William looked somewhat abashed at -this proposal, and began to suspect that a trap -had been laid for him. However, he could not -refuse to do the command of King René, especially -when it seemed so simple a thing; and -so he was obliged to sing again, and say the -Latin words plainly, all the while very angry -with himself because on the spur of the moment -he could think of no other words to put in place -of the Latin refrain, which was so cleverly -woven into each stanza that it could not be left -out without spoiling the rhyme.</p> - -<p>The king listened attentively, for, as the -Count Reynaurd knew, René was a good Latin -scholar himself; and presently, when the refrain -came into the song:</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span></p> - -<p class="pp6n p1">Hoc carmen non composui,<br /> -Quod cano, quod cano!</p> - -<p class="pn1">King René began to laugh; and he laughed -and laughed till the tears fairly ran down his -cheeks; for what do you think the words really -mean? They mean:</p> - -<p class="pp6n p1">I did not make this song,<br /> -That I sing, that I sing!</p> - -<p class="p1">When the king at last managed to stop laughing -for a few minutes, he translated the lines so -that every one could hear.</p> - -<p>At first Count William looked very blank; -then, realizing how cleverly the tables had been -turned upon him and he had been caught in his -own prank, he enjoyed the joke as much as anybody, -and laughed the loudest of all. Indeed, -such a “Ha, ha!” as went up through the -whole banquet-hall was never before heard, -and the very rafters seemed to shake with glee.</p> - -<p>The good king was so delighted with the entertainment -that he called Count Reynaurd and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> -Count William both before him, and taking a -hand of each, he declared that the jeweled collar -must be divided equally between them. He at -once ordered his goldsmiths to set to work to -make it into two collars instead of one; which -they could very easily do, as it was so wide and -heavy.</p> - -<p>Then the king had a lovely silver cup brought -in for Pierrot, because of his cleverness in the -Latin tongue; and afterward the whole company -of troubadours and minnesingers and pages -sat down and feasted so merrily that, years later, -when Pierrot himself grew to be a famous troubadour, -he used often to sing, in the castles of -the French nobles, of the gaiety of that great -festival.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">THE LOST RUNE</h2> - -<p class="pch">THE LEGEND OF A LOST POEM AND THE ADVENTURES<br /> -OF LITTLE ELSA IN RESTORING<br /> -IT TO HER PEOPLE</p> - -<p class="pp10n">Eery, airy,<br /> -Elf and fairy,</p> -<p class="pp6n">Steep me deep in magic dreams!</p> -<p class="pp5n">Charm from harm of water witches,<br /> -Guide where hide the hoarded riches</p> -<p class="pp6n">Sunken in Suomi streams!</p> - -<p class="p1">As the strains of Elsa’s voice floated up and -wandered away among the cottage rafters, -“Bravo”! cried her father; “bravo, little -one! Already thou singest like the April -cuckoo!” Elsa, the little Finnish girl thus addressed,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> -smiled with pleasure, and nestled closer -to her father’s reindeer coat as he proudly patted -her fair hair and gave her an approving -hug.</p> - -<p>The two were sitting on a rude bench drawn -out from the cottage wall; and here they had -been all the evening, singing snatches of -strange old songs, and toasting their toes at the -turf fire that blazed in the great fireplace.</p> - -<p>It was barely September, but in the far -North, the winter begins early and the winds -sweep with a bitter chill across the wide plains -of Suomi, the old name by which the Finnish -people love best to call their land.</p> - -<p>Elsa’s father and mother—the mother was -now drowsing over her knitting, on the other -side of the hearth—were well-to-do peasant -farmer folk. They owned the land, called -from their name the “Sveaborg farm,” and -the cottage, which was large of its kind; that -is to say, it had two rooms besides the great -living-room and the loft.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span></p> - -<p>One of these extra rooms, however, was set -apart for the use of occasional travelers; for in -Finland, through the country, inns of any kind -are very few, and at that time, as now, certain -of the better farm-houses were set apart as -places where travelers might be sure of entertainment -for the night at least. As Elsa’s home -lay on one of the main roads, the cottage now -and then sheltered one of the few strangers -who sometimes journey through the land.</p> - -<p>The other little chamber belonged to Elsa, who -was the only child; but the main business of living -was carried on in the great room with the -hearth. It was a quaint place, broad and low; -the walls were covered with a rough plaster, and -overhead the rafters showed brown with smoke; -just below these were fastened two slender poles -from one of which hung festoons of dried herbs, -while on the other were strung a great number -of large flat brown rings, which were nothing -less than the family bread for the winter. For -the Finnish peasants do not trouble themselves<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> -to bake too often, and they like their bread -made into these curious ring-shaped loaves -which they thus hang away until needed; nor -do they mind how hard and dry it becomes.</p> - -<p>On one side of the cottage walls were several -large presses where cheeses were making; and -opposite these were two little doors that seemed -to open into cupboards; cupboards, however, -where no Finnish child would ever think of -looking for jam or sweetmeats, for, as is the -custom of the country, behind the doors were -fastened in the thick wall two shelf-like beds, -where Elsa’s father and mother slept.</p> - -<p>But the chief feature, the heart of all the -room, was the great fireplace; at one side of it -was built a huge brick oven, in which Elsa’s -mother baked the queer flat-bread for the family, -and sometimes, when the nights were very, very -cold, she would make for Elsa a little bed on -top of the warm bricks, which was always so -cozy that the little girl did not care that it was a -trifle hard.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span></p> - -<p>The broad hearth in front of the oven was -also of brick, and this hearth, as in every peasant’s -cottage, was the favorite gathering place. -Here through the long winter evenings, and -days when the sun barely peeped above the -horizon, they loved to sit and sing over their -quaint old songs and repeat in verse the strange -and beautiful stories that have been handed -down in Finland for hundreds, perhaps thousands, -of years.</p> - -<p>Indeed, all Finnish peasants have always been -wonderfully fond of music and poetry, and, to -this day, as in Elsa’s time—which was nearly a -hundred years ago—in almost every house may -be found at least one of the curious harps of -ancient shape, which the people make for themselves -out of bone or wood. There are but few -peasants who can not sing some old story to the -music of this instrument which they call “kantele.”</p> - -<p>Elsa’s father was an especially skilful harper, -and Elsa herself seemed to inherit a large part of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> -his passion for music and poetry. He had made -for her a little kantele of her own, and to the soft -weird music she struck from its strings, she sang -her little song,</p> - -<p class="pp10n p1"> -Eery, airy,<br /> -Elf and fairy.</p> - -<p class="p1">These lines, however, were but the beginning -of a song intended to charm and overpower the -wicked water-witches; for, as all the world knows, -Finland is the home of all manner of fairy folk, -of elves and gnomes and wizards and witches; -at least so all Finnish folk declare; and innumerable -are the charm-songs and incantations -and marvelous tales handed down from -generation to generation, telling of the witches -and fairies of Suomi.</p> - -<p>Elsa knew a great number of these song-stories -and delighted above all things to learn a -new one. But, as she sat by the fire, the -warmth at last made her drowsy; presently the -harp fell from her hands, and still leaning against -her father she dropped into a sound sleep.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span></p> - -<p>The next morning was crisp and frosty, but -the sun, rising in a strange slanting ring, tempered -the September chill almost to mildness. -Indeed the sun behaves very oddly in Finland; -it was then circling round the sky in its autumn -course, never setting, as in our country, but -staying up a little way all night, and all the -while weaving its spiral rings lower and lower -down the sky. By and by it would hide altogether -and not show itself for many weeks. So -while the light lasted every one was making the -most of it.</p> - -<p>Elsa was astir early; breakfast had long been -over; she had swept the house with the broom -of birch twigs, and was now outside the cottage -helping her mother churn.</p> - -<p>As she pushed the wooden dasher up and -down, the wind blew the color into her cheeks -and her hair about her face. She wore a close -little woolen hood, a homespun dress and a -long apron embroidered in bright colors, and -on her feet were wooden shoes.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span></p> - -<p>All at once Elsa’s quick ears caught the -sound of wheels.</p> - -<p>“See, mother!” she exclaimed, “there is -Jan of the Ohlsen farm; but who, thinkest thou, -is the stranger beside him?”</p> - -<p>Fru Sveaborg shaded her eyes with her hand, -and sure enough, saw, jogging up the road, a -pony dragging one of the odd two-wheeled -carts of Finland. As she looked, it turned into -the narrow lane of birch trees leading to the -cottage.</p> - -<p>Jan drew rein.</p> - -<p>“Good morrow, neighbor Sveaborg!” he -called out.</p> - -<p>Then as the Fru left her churn and came toward -them, he said:</p> - -<p>“This traveler is Herr Lönnrot, from Helsingfors, -who is journeying through the country. -Last night he passed at our farm and to-night -he would spend at thine. He wishes much to -speak with peasant Sveaborg about certain matters -he is seeking to learn.” Then catching<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> -sight of Elsa, “Good morrow to thee, Elsa! -How comes the churning? It hath made thy -cheeks red as cloud-berries!”</p> - -<p>Elsa shyly drew near her mother, as the latter -greeted Jan, and, courtesying to the stranger, -assured him of a welcome at their home.</p> - -<p>Jan then jumped from the cart to help Herr -Lönnrot, who was an old man. He had a -gentle face with kindly blue eyes, and his hair -and beard were gray. He was wrapped in a -long traveling cloak, and walked with a staff. -As Fru Sveaborg led the way to the cottage -door he coughed slightly and drew his cloak -closer about him.</p> - -<p>Within the living-room, the Fru hastened to -set before them fresh milk and bread, and then -she and Jan gossiped a while over farm matters, -while the stranger, who seemed weary, went to -rest in the little guest chamber, which was -always in readiness for travelers.</p> - -<p>In the afternoon, as Elsa sat by the fireplace -spinning, Herr Lönnrot came into the room,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> -and seating himself on the bench, began to -talk to her.</p> - -<p>“Art very busy, little one?” he said; “canst -thou not sing a song for an old man? I trow -yonder tiny kantele fits thy fingers as if fashioned -for them!”</p> - -<p>“Aye, sir,” answered Elsa shyly, “if thou -really wishest, I will sing the little charm-song -I have just learned.”</p> - -<p>With this she took the kantele, and drawing -a wooden stool beside the bench began to sing. -Though her voice rose somewhat timidly at -first, presently she lost herself in the music and -poetry, and sang many of the strange Finnish -songs.</p> - -<p>As Herr Lönnrot listened to the little girl his -eyes brightened and he smiled with pleasure; -and when, by and by, she ceased, he drew her -to his side and stroked her hair.</p> - -<p>He then questioned her carefully about the -songs that she and her father knew, and told<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> -her that he himself was even then traveling -through Finland for the express purpose of -gathering together all the songs of the peasant -folk, though not so much for the music as for -the sake of the words, which he was most -anxious to learn. He told her further, how, -for many years, the great scholars of Finland -had been certain that a great and wonderfully -beautiful song-story, a story of heroes and wizards -and fairies, had become broken up and -scattered among the people, just as if some -beautiful stained-glass window should come to -pieces, and the different fragments fall into the -hands of many different persons, and be scattered -about so that no one could make out the -first picture unless all the pieces could be found -and fitted together again.</p> - -<p>Now the song-story, Herr Lönnrot said, was -made up ages before; long before people had -paper or pens with which to write. So the -story had been handed down from parents to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> -their children, who sang it from year to year -simply from memory; for people had wonderful -memories in those days.</p> - -<p>It had begun so very long ago, however, -and the whole story was so long, that the peasant -folk had gradually forgotten parts of it; in -some families one part or rune, as the people -called it, would be handed down from generation -to generation, and in others, some other -part.</p> - -<p>Now Herr Lönnrot was a physician of much -learning, and aside from his work of healing -the sick, he had a great fondness for beautiful -stories. He had spent much time among the -peasants especially to learn such parts of the -lost song-story as they might happen to know, -and was now devoting his old age to gathering -up as many as possible of these runes.</p> - -<p>And then, he told Elsa, he intended to fit -them together and write them down so that none -should ever again be forgotten, and so that the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> -whole world might read this great Finnish -story.</p> - -<p>“Ah,” said Herr Lönnrot, with kindling -eyes, “every one who has love for old Finland -should help save this wonderful song, -for ’twill be to the glory of our nation, even as -the songs of Homer have been to the glory of -the Greeks!”</p> - -<p>And in this Herr Lönnrot spoke what is perfectly -true: for all wise persons know that to -add a beautiful poem or song or story to the -collection that every nation gradually makes up -for itself, is rightly considered a far more glorious -thing than to discover a whole mountain of -gold and diamonds. And so the Herr wished -greatly to find and restore this beautiful scattered -story to the poetic wealth of Finland and -of the world.</p> - -<p>He then went on to explain to Elsa that the -scholars found these songs to cluster about three -ancient heroes, and of these, one, the mighty<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> -wizard Wainamoinen, was the most powerful -of all.</p> - -<p>Here Elsa, who had been listening attentively, -smiled.</p> - -<p>“Yes,” she said, “I know many songs of -Wainamoinen and the rest.”</p> - -<p>“Of that I am sure,” said Herr Lönnrot; -“but there is one rune that tells of the birth of -the harp: how Wainamoinen fashioned the first -kantele from the bones of a magic fish, and -how he sang with such marvelous sweetness that -all living things drew near to harken to him. -Of this rune I have heard many peasant-singers -speak, but have sought in vain for one who -can teach me the whole of it. And I must find -it before I can complete the story!”</p> - -<p>Here Herr Lönnrot sighed, and dropping his -head upon his breast seemed lost in thought. -Presently a fit of coughing seized him; and -then he continued:</p> - -<p>“Dost think, little one, that thy father knows -aught of this rune?”</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/ill-053.jpg" width="400" height="615" - alt="" - title="" /> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span></p> - -<p>Elsa thought very hard trying to recall the -rune; she was obliged to answer:</p> - -<p>“Nay, sir; in truth he hath taught me many -runes about Wainamoinen and the others, but -I know not how the harp was born. But,” -she added, “my father will be home at supper-time; -he is helping thatch neighbor Friedvic’s -new barn, and perhaps he can tell thee!”</p> - -<p>“Perhaps,” said Herr Lönnrot. “Thy neighbor -Jan told me he thought thy father knew -something of this rune I seek.”</p> - -<p>Even as they talked, a whistle sounded without, -and Elsa clapped her hands joyously.</p> - -<p>“There is my father now!” and bounding -to the door she flung it wide open. As the -peasant Sveaborg stepped within, seeing Herr -Lönnrot, he took off his cap and greeted him -kindly, for strangers were always welcome at -the Sveaborg farm.</p> - -<p>When the Herr told him why he was journeying -through the country, and of the lost<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> -rune he was seeking, Elsa’s father grew much -interested.</p> - -<p>“The birth of the harp! Ah, sir,” said he, -“I know not the whole rune myself, but I know -of a peasant who does. I have heard him sing -it, and truly ’tis of marvelous beauty! But he -is very aged, and odd, sir”—here peasant -Sveaborg tapped his forehead meaningly “and -will teach it to no one else. Even now, I have -been told, he is very ill, and like to die. I know -not if thou canst learn aught from him, but if -thou wishest, I will take thee thither to-morrow.” -And while they were busy arranging -the trip for the morrow, Fru Sveaborg came -in, and with Elsa’s help soon set out the evening -meal.</p> - -<p>As they ate their bowls of <i>pimea</i> or sour -milk, which is the chief part of every Finnish -meal, Herr Lönnrot entertained them with wonderful -stories of his travels and news of the -outside world, till all were charmed; and Elsa,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> -especially, thought him the most delightful traveler -their roof had ever sheltered. Her admiration -for him deepened as the evening wore -on, for the Herr, though evidently in feeble -health and weary from his journey, yet talked -so pleasantly that all were sorry when by and -by he bade them good night.</p> - -<p>The next morning at breakfast, Herr Lönnrot -did not appear; but the family did not think -it strange, and supposing him still resting, did -not disturb him. Fru Sveaborg placed some -breakfast for him in an earthen dish, which she -set in the oven to keep warm. Then she went -about her work.</p> - -<p>But as the morning passed on, and still he -did not come from his chamber, she became -uneasy, and sent Elsa to tap upon his door. As -Elsa lightly knocked, the door swung open, for -there are no locks in Finland, and there lay -Herr Lönnrot, motionless, on the floor of the -room! The aged physician had evidently<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> -arisen, and made himself ready for the day, -when, overcome by weakness, he had fallen in -a swoon.</p> - -<p>Elsa, thoroughly frightened, ran to the living-room, -crying out:</p> - -<p>“Mother! Mother! Herr Lönnrot is dying!”</p> - -<p>At this the Fru hastened in, and with Elsa’s -help, raised the frail old man and placed him -on a bench; and while her mother did what -she could to make him comfortable, Elsa hurried -to the fields to send her father for the village -doctor.</p> - -<p>As it was a long journey to the village it was -almost nightfall before the peasant Sveaborg -reached home.</p> - -<p>Meantime Herr Lönnrot had passed from the -swoon into a high fever, and all day his mind -had wandered, and he had talked strangely; -sometimes of his home and his journey, but -more often of the lost rune of the magic harp, -which seemed to trouble him sorely.</p> - -<p>At last the doctor came, and after examining<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> -his patient, said that he was suffering from the -effects of a serious cold, and that he must be -kept quiet and well cared for.</p> - -<p>Then as Herr Lönnrot continued to toss and -murmur, the doctor asked Fru Sveaborg if she -knew of aught that troubled him. As the Fru -looked perplexed, Elsa spoke.</p> - -<p>“The rune, mother! Hark! even now he is -speaking of it!”</p> - -<p>And as they listened, the poor Herr, who -had not the least notion of what he was saying, -exclaimed:</p> - -<p>“The harp! Ah, yes, I must go seek it! the -magic harp”—and here he broke off into low, -unintelligible words.</p> - -<p>At this the doctor looked grave, and said -that it was a pity that anything seemed to be on -the patient’s mind, as it might make the fever -harder to overcome. He then measured out -some medicines, and took his leave, after giving -Fru Sveaborg directions for caring for the -aged patient.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span></p> - -<p>The next day, under the faithful nursing of -Elsa’s mother, Herr Lönnrot seemed better, -though still very weak, and when the doctor -again saw him, he said that with continued good -care he thought all would go well, but that the -Herr must not think of going on with his journey -for a week, at least. After this visit from -the doctor, Elsa’s father, who had been waiting -at home in case he should be needed, told Fru -Sveaborg that he must go to finish the work -he was doing at a neighboring farm, and as it -would take him a day or two, he would stop on -the way and send the Fru’s sister to help her -care for the sick stranger.</p> - -<p>When her father was gone, and her mother -busy about her work, Elsa drew out her wheel, -and as she sat alone spinning as hard as she -could, she yet found time to think of a great -many things. She thought of the lost rune of -the birth of the harp, and of good Herr Lönnrot, -lying on his bed and chafing and worrying -with every hour that his journey was delayed.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> -Then she thought of the peasant Ulricborg, and -of what her father had told of his reported illness.</p> - -<p>“Ah”, said she to herself, “what if he die -before Herr Lönnrot can travel thither! Then -the rune may be lost forever, and dear Herr -Lönnrot can never, never finish the beautiful -song-story!” The more she thought about it, -the more Elsa became convinced that something -should be done, and that without delay.</p> - -<p>She turned over in her mind a great many -plans, and presently an idea occurred to her -that made her smile happily; and, jumping up, -she ran out to where Fru Sveaborg was arranging -her milk-pans in the sun.</p> - -<p>“Mother,” said Elsa, “mother, I wish to -go to the peasant Ulricborg!”</p> - -<p>“Why, child,” exclaimed her mother in -amazement, “what dost thou wish with the -peasant Ulricborg?”</p> - -<p>“I wish to learn from him the lost rune, so -that Herr Lönnrot can finish the beautiful song-story!<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> -He may die before the Herr can see -him!”</p> - -<p>“But,” protested her mother, “thou canst -not go alone, and thy father is too busy to go -with thee now.”</p> - -<p>“But, mother,” said Elsa, “’tis no such -great journey; thou knowest I went thither -once with father in the sleigh two years ago, -and truly it seemed not far!” Elsa did not -realize how swiftly a sleigh will speed over many, -many miles. “I shall meet carts on the way, -and I can stop at the Ringstrom farm to-night.”</p> - -<p>Now Fru Sveaborg was a simple soul who -had never been far beyond her own home, and -as the child pleaded so earnestly to go, at last -she consented, although somewhat against her -will.</p> - -<p>Elsa was overjoyed, and at once made her -little preparations to start. She got a small -basket of birch bark and in it her mother placed -some black bread and cheese, a few herrings -and a bottle of milk. Then putting on her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> -thick woolen cloak and hood, and taking her -kantele in one hand and the basket in the -other, off she started.</p> - -<p>Fru Sveaborg bade her good by. “Be careful, -child!” she said; “keep to the highroad, -and be sure to stay to-night at the Ringstrom -farm!”</p> - -<p>“Good by, mother!” Elsa called back, “and -do not fear for me; I know the way!”</p> - -<p>With this she tripped down the lane of birch -trees and turned into the road to the east. By -and by she was overtaken by a little Finland -pony trundling along a two-wheeled cart. As -the driver of the cart happened to be a young -boy she knew, she was glad to climb in beside -him. They rode thus for a number of miles till -they reached a cross-road where Elsa’s friend -told her he must turn off; so she jumped out, -and thanking him for her ride, bade him good -by and trudged on along the highway.</p> - -<p>Presently she began to feel hungry, for it -was long past noon, and looking about, she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> -saw a pretty tuft of green moss under a tall -birch tree; and sitting down, she opened her -basket and ate some of the contents. She -thought she would rest a little while before -going on, so she wrapped her cloak close about -her and leaned back against the birch tree,—till—by -and by—her eyes began to blink -and blink, and before she knew it the little -girl was sound asleep.</p> - -<p>She did not know how long she slept, but -at length, just in the midst of a beautiful dream -about magic fishes and harps and wizards, she -gave a shiver and waked up.</p> - -<p>She rubbed her eyes for a minute, and involuntarily -drew her cloak closer, for it had grown -chilly.</p> - -<p>At first, as Elsa gazed around, she thought -she must still be asleep and dreaming of cloudland! -But presently she realized that she was -not in the clouds, but in the midst of a dense -fog, such as often comes up in Finland without<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> -warning, and covers up the fields and woods -as completely as any cloud might do.</p> - -<p>Now, being a Finnish child, Elsa’s first -thought was of the hobgoblins and prankish -fairies of the fog who, as every Finlander knows, -float about in their mantles of mist seeking to -do mischief to unwary travelers.</p> - -<p>So Elsa at once began to sing in a high, clear -voice a little charm-song; not the one she had -sung in the farm house to Herr Lönnrot, but a -song intended especially to ward off the wicked -fairies of the fog. It began like this:</p> - -<p class="pp10n p1">Fogs of Finland,<br /> -Floating inland,</p> -<p class="pp8n">From the fairy-haunted sea,</p> -<p class="pp10n">Have a care now,<br /> -See ye bear now</p> -<p class="pp8n">No unfriendly folk to me!</p> - -<p class="p1">As Elsa sang she cautiously stepped along, -she knew not where; till, faintly through the -thick shrouding mist, there came the soft tinkle, -tinkle of a little bell. Listening, she knew at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> -once that it must be fastened to the collar of -some cow, for such bells in Finland are very -sweet-toned and clear.</p> - -<p>Sure enough, in a little while she heard the -trampling of hoofs, and the whole herd, drawn -by the sound of her voice, was thronging about -her.</p> - -<p>But Elsa was used to the herds on her father’s -farm, and was really glad to feel the warm -breath of the gentle little Finnish cows. As -the leader came close to her she put up her -hand and patted its nose; then slipping her -fingers through the narrow leathern strap from -which the bell hung, she walked along beside -the cow.</p> - -<p>This proved to be the very best thing she -could have done; for the herd was going home, -and the cows seemed to know their way instinctively, -even in spite of the white fog.</p> - -<p>They walked thus a long way, till after a -while the fog began to lift somewhat; and -though it was growing dusk Elsa could distinguish<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> -the outline of a comfortable-looking farmhouse. -It was not the Ringstrom farm, where -she had expected to pass the night, but a -strange place that she had never before seen. -The usual lane of birch trees led up to the -house, and behind it was a long, low barn, -whither the cows seemed to be directing their -way.</p> - -<p>As she walked along beside them she was -thinking of what she had best do, and she -found herself very much perplexed. In truth -she had set out upon a very difficult errand for -a little girl, and had good Fru Sveaborg had -the least idea of the distance or possible dangers -of the journey she never would have given her -consent; while had Elsa’s father been at home,—but -then it is useless thinking things might -have been managed differently. Meanwhile -there was Elsa trudging along in the midst of -the herd, wondering much who were the dwellers -at the farm, and, on the whole, not a little -frightened.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span></p> - -<p>By this time she had a pretty definite idea that -she had started on a rather reckless undertaking, -and she fancied that perhaps the people at -the farm might think so too, and would not allow -her to go farther; and as she was determined -at any risk to reach the peasant Ulricborg -and save the rune, she decided at last that she -would not go to the house.</p> - -<p>So she kept with the herd, and when the cows -reached the door of the great barn, she slipped -in between them, unseen in the fog and gathering -dusk; for though the sun would not quite -disappear, it hung low and dim on the horizon -and shed but faint light through the misty air. -Within, the barn was arranged much like the one -at her home, though on a far larger scale. In -one corner was a large pile of soft sweet-smelling -hay, and going to this Elsa set down her -basket and kantele, and curled herself up for -the night.</p> - -<p>As she looked about through half-shut, sleepy -eyes, she saw in the center of the wide earthen<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> -floor a stone fireplace, and there over some -blazing fagots stood a great iron kettle; beside -it two ruddy-faced girls were hard at work stirring -the long marsh grass that was boiling -for the cows’ supper. Elsa would have very -much liked to make herself known to these -girls, for she was used to doing things openly -and did not at all enjoy hiding there in the corner; -but then she thought of the precious rune -and the possibility that they might stop her journey, -and so she remained quiet. As she nestled -down in the soft, warm hay, however, she thought -to herself that they could not possibly mind having -a little girl sleep in it for just one night, and -so reasoning she kept on drowsily watching the -movements of the two girls.</p> - -<p>After a while they dipped out the soft food -and fed the cows; and then, when they had -milked them, one of the girls poured out a -bowlful of new milk and set it beside the -stone hearth, and then they both went off singing -toward the house.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span></p> - -<p>Now Elsa knew, as every little Finnish farm -girl knows, that the fresh milk was set there for -the fairies; for should any roving band of elfin -people chance to wander thither, they might be -vexed and do mischief if they did not find a -fresh, sweet draft awaiting them. So Elsa felt -quite safe, sure that the fairies would not trouble -her; and, by and by, lulled by the soft breathing -of the cows, she fell asleep.</p> - -<p>Very early in the morning she awoke, and -though at first much bewildered, she soon remembered -everything, and determined to slip -away before any one should find her.</p> - -<p>So fastening her cloak and taking her little -belongings, she again set forth. As she stepped -out in the early morning light, a white frost -glittered over the fields; and as she gazed -around seeking the road, she saw a faintly-marked -path that seemed to lead to the highway. -She made a little breakfast from the -things she found in her basket, and then walked -on; but the path, instead of leading to the highroad,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> -took her farther and farther from it, for -she did not know that the farm whither the cows -had led her was a long distance from the way -she wished to follow.</p> - -<p>Indeed Elsa was lost; and as she went on -the country grew wilder and more rugged. -Before she knew it the path had disappeared -altogether and she could find no trace of it; -and as far as she could see, there was no living -being near.</p> - -<p>All the while she was becoming more and -more frightened, yet still bravely she went on, -vainly seeking the road. Before long she came -to a dense wood of firs, and thinking that perhaps -the way lay just beyond, she slowly entered -the forest, stepping timidly between the -dark resinous trees. Once or twice she trembled -as a fox crossed her path, but, by and by, -as she looked ahead, her heart fairly stood still -with terror. For there in the distance, where -a great ledge of rocks cropped out of the -ground, she saw a large brown something; and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> -the more she looked the more certain she felt -that it was a bear.</p> - -<p>And true enough, it was a bear, “honey-paw,” -as Elsa would have said, for so the Finlanders -call the brown bear, because of his great -liking for wild honey. Now, as it happened, -this particular honey-paw was for the time so -intent upon his own affairs that at first he did -not see Elsa. He was walking carefully round -and round the great mass of rock, hunting a -good spot where he might curl up, bear fashion, -and sleep through the coming winter. He had -been looking at these rocks for many days, as -is the custom of bears, trying to decide which of -the little caves they offered would suit him best -for his long sleep; and he was still perplexed -about it when he happened to look in Elsa’s direction.</p> - -<p>The little girl was standing still, frozen with -terror, when he saw her. Perhaps he would -not have noticed her had it not been for the -red hood she wore, which, of course, could be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> -seen for a long distance. When honey-paw -realized, however, that some one was looking at -him, he was greatly displeased; for when bears -are selecting their winter hiding places they like -to keep the matter as secret as possible. So -with a little growl of resentment he started toward -her. At this Elsa uttered a scream and, -dropping her basket, took to her heels, running -as fast as she could, she knew not whither. -The bear followed, at an awkward pace, but -when he came up and sniffed at her basket she -was already far in the distance.</p> - -<p>As good fortune would have it, in her wild -flight Elsa had come to the edge of one of the -great bogs that cover so large a part of Finland, -and her light steps had taken her some distance -over its uncertain surface. On she went, -springing lightly from tussock to tussock of the -coarse grass, till at last she reached a little space -of firmer ground, and sank down, exhausted, -upon the fallen trunk of a willow tree.</p> - -<p>Meantime honey-paw also had come to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> -edge of the bog, but after a few cautious steps -had found himself too heavy to gain a foothold -on the soft ground, so with another sniff or two -he turned about and trotted off.</p> - -<p>When Elsa saw him going away, she was so -worn out with fright, and so very tired, that -she did just what any other little girl would -have done: she began to cry, and cried and -cried as if her heart would break. She sat -there sobbing a long time, and was quite sure -she would have to stay in that little spot the -rest of her life, till the wicked bog witches found -her or the bears ate her up; for she did not -think she could ever venture on alone.</p> - -<p>Indeed she cried so hard that she did not -notice that she was quite near the bank of a -good-sized river that flowed to the east, nor did -she know that after a while a large flat-boat -drifted in sight. It was laden with a great -number of bark-bound barrels, and on the deck -a man stood guiding the boat with a long pole.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> -As it floated slowly along, the boatman saw -Elsa, and called out in surprise.</p> - -<p>“Ho, little one! what dost thou in yonder -bog? Art lost?” When Elsa heard him, she -quickly looked up, and begged piteously that -he take her away from that dangerous spot!</p> - -<p>“That will I do right gladly,” said he; and -directing her how to reach the bank in safety, -he guided his boat to land and then helped -Elsa aboard.</p> - -<p>He gave her a little box on which to sit, and -told her that the heavy barrels arranged in -rows in the boat were filled with turpentine -which he was floating down the river from the -pine woods farther inland. Then looking curiously -at Elsa, who sat there still tightly holding -her little kantele, which she had unconsciously -kept through her flight from honey-paw, he -said:</p> - -<p>“But who art thou, little one?”</p> - -<p>The man had a good face and a kindly manner<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> -that quite reassured Elsa, who, now that her -fear of the bear was relieved, had begun to -wonder who her companion might be. When -she told him her name, “Ah,” he exclaimed, -“I know thy father well! But whither art -thou going all by thyself?”</p> - -<p>When Elsa told him of her journey to the -peasant Ulricborg, he looked astonished, but -told her to have no fear, as he would see her -safely to the Ulricborg home, which was down -the very river on which they were floating, and -at no great distance from the bank.</p> - -<p>As the boat glided along Elsa’s new friend beguiled -the time by telling her of the great pine -forests whence he had come, and explaining how -the pitch and turpentine were harvested. After -a while when he asked if she would sing him a -little song, she gladly assented; and striking -the strings of her little harp, she sang a Finnish -boat-song, her voice ringing out clear and -sweet on the frosty air, through which some big -snowflakes were beginning to fall. She had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> -scarcely finished her song when she noticed that -they were no longer in the center of the stream, -but that the boatman was deftly turning his -craft sidewise and guiding it toward the bank.</p> - -<p>In a few minutes he had made it fast to a stout -oak tree that grew near the water’s edge, and -then helping Elsa out, he took her hand and -led her up a narrow path between tall grasses -and yellowing willows; then turning into a -lane they came toward a small weather-beaten -house standing in the midst of a little group of -fir trees. The door stood open, and a short -distance from the house they spied a bent old -woman gathering pine cones in the forest close -by. She had her apron filled, and presently, -turning around and seeing her visitors, she -straightened herself as best she could and came -toward them with greetings. As she drew -near, Elsa saw that her face was withered and -wrinkled, and her hands brown with toil.</p> - -<p>“Good morrow, Dame Ulricborg!” said the -boatman, “and how fares thy goodman to-day?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Ah,” answered the dame, “he is very weak -and grows more feeble every day. This twelve-month -past he hath scarce left his bed, and ’tis -weary work for an old woman to keep the kettle -boiling and the thatch mended over our -heads.”</p> - -<p>“True,” said the boatman, sympathetically, -“thou hast done well, Dame Ulricborg!” Then -looking down at Elsa, he added: “Here is a little -girl come to see thee.”</p> - -<p>The old dame looked curiously at Elsa; then, -as the latter held up her little skirt and asked -the dame if she might not help carry the cones, -she grew more kindly and led the way to the -house. But the boatman, seeing Elsa thus safe -at her journey’s end, bade them good by and -hastened back to his boat.</p> - -<p>Now, Dame Ulricborg very much wondered -what the little girl could possibly wish with her; -but as it is considered unkind to question a guest -as to his coming, she said nothing, but waited -for Elsa to make known her errand.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/ill-079.jpg" width="400" height="527" - alt="" - title="" /> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span></p> - -<p>As they drew near the door of the house, -Elsa hastened to explain to her how she had -come, and how she hoped to learn the rune -from the lips of the aged peasant Ulricborg. -At this the old woman, who had listened attentively, -shook her head.</p> - -<p>“Ah, little one,” said she, “thou little knowest -how feeble he hath grown! He hath -strange fancies, too, and I doubt if he will wish -to let thee learn it. He hath never been willing -to teach it to any one. But,” she added, -“thou canst at least ask, if thou wishest.”</p> - -<p>By this time they had reached the threshold -of Dame Ulricborg’s home, and stepped within. -The house was bare, but not uncomfortable; -some rings of flat-bread hung from the ceiling; -there was a spinning-wheel, two or three benches, -and, on the wall over the fireplace, a kantele.</p> - -<p>The dame told Elsa to draw one of the -benches near the fire and warm herself, while -she went into the next room to see how her sick<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> -husband fared, as she had been obliged to leave -him all alone when she went to gather the cones.</p> - -<p>By and by the dame came back, and shaking -her head sadly, said to Elsa:</p> - -<p>“Nay, to-day ’tis useless; his thoughts are -wandering and he will notice nothing. ’Tis -often so when he grows overweary. But thou -must bide the night with us, and it may be in -the morning he will be better.”</p> - -<p>So Elsa helped Dame Ulricborg build up the -fire till it blazed brightly with the crackling resinous -cones, and then as the afternoon waned, -she made herself useful in many little ways as -they set out their simple evening meal.</p> - -<p>Elsa thought no <i>pimea</i> and black bread had -ever tasted quite so good, for she was very -hungry after her long day, and Dame Ulricborg -smiled at her enjoyment. Indeed by the time -Elsa crept into the queer little cupboard bed -that the dame spread for her, she had so won -the latter’s heart that she bent over and kissed -the little girl with a pathetic tenderness; for it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> -had been a long, long time since poor old -Dame Ulricborg had had any young life about -her. Her own little girl had slept in the village -churchyard for many years.</p> - -<p>The next morning, after they had breakfasted -together, the dame told Elsa that she might -see peasant Ulricborg, who seemed somewhat -brighter with the new day. So taking Elsa by -the hand she led her into the room where lay -the sick peasant.</p> - -<p>He looked very old and feeble; his hair was -white as snow, and his thin cheeks drawn into -innumerable wrinkles. Elsa went timidly over -and stood by his bedside, and in a low quivering -voice she made known her request. She -told him of Herr Lönnrot’s labors to save the -beautiful song-story of Wainamoinen, and of -his great desire to learn the lost rune that peasant -Ulricborg alone knew; how he wished to -write it down, so that it might never again be -forgotten and that all the world might enjoy its -beauty.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span></p> - -<p>As she spoke, the old man looked at her with -dim blue eyes, and seemed to listen as one in a -dream. When she ceased, he appeared for a -moment lost in thought; then he said slowly -and dreamily:</p> - -<p>“Yes, thou shalt learn it, Aino; thou shalt -hear of the birth of the harp, of the magic fish and -of the mighty hero Wainamoinen, little Aino.”</p> - -<p>“’Tis our own little maid, Aino, that we lost -so long ago!” whispered the old dame to Elsa, -as the tears streamed down her face; “thou art -so like her!”</p> - -<p>But she hushed her whisper, as suddenly the -old peasant began to sing in a weak, quavering -voice that seemed to grow stronger as he sang, -the beautiful lines telling how the ancient Wainamoinen -fashioned the first harp, and how he -sang till all the birds forsook their nests, the -fishes their deep sea homes, and all the creatures -of the woods, nay, the very trees themselves, -trooped forth from the forests that they -might listen to his enchanting music.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span></p> - -<p>As Elsa heard, the tears came into her own -eyes, for she was a poetic little soul and quickly -touched by anything beautiful. When the peasant -Ulricborg had almost finished the rune, he -suddenly broke off and lay back on his pillow -exhausted. He lay for so long a while with -closed eyes, that both the dame and Elsa grew -frightened; but presently he again looked at -them, his vision becoming brighter; in a little -while all seemed to grow clear to him. He -gazed kindly at Elsa, for something about the -little girl seemed strangely to soften the old man. -He noticed her little kantele, and it seemed to -interest him, as he motioned her to lay it beside -him. He looked at it a while, and tried once -or twice to touch its strings to music, but his -strength failed him.</p> - -<p>Presently, he said feebly:</p> - -<p>“Ah, I thought thou wert Aino come back -for me!—but never mind—the rune thou wishest, -I can not show thee its music now,”—here -he looked sadly at his stiffened fingers, “but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> -the rune itself, yes, thou shalt have it, little -one!” Then he added slowly, as he gazed -dreamily into Elsa’s shining eyes:</p> - -<p>“For thou, too, wilt love it truly!”</p> - -<p>Here, as he paused a while, Dame Ulricborg -could scarcely hide her amazement, knowing -how often before he had wilfully refused the -same request from others. Indeed, the peasant -Ulricborg had all his life loved poetry with a -singular passion; and this particular rune, which -had come down in his family, he seemed to set -apart as something almost sacred; he treasured -its verses as misers hoard gold pieces. Whether -he thought it too beautiful to be made overcommon, -or for what reason, no one knew; that was -his oddity. So, while he sang it sometimes to -those he considered worthy, he would teach it -to none.</p> - -<p>And now at last, as he promised it to Elsa, -Dame Ulricborg thought sadly that the promise -came too late; for how could he teach it to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> -little girl, when every breath was such weary -effort? And she knew he was unable to write -readily even if he had the strength.</p> - -<p>But having rested a little, he motioned her -to bend down, and then he whispered something -to her. She listened with a look of surprise, -and then hastened into the living room, -and opening a little cupboard, searched, till in -the farthest corner she found a small box, and -this she brought to the bedside. As she opened -it, out fluttered some thin old sheets of paper, -closely written over and yellow with age.</p> - -<p>The old man’s eyes kindled as he saw these, -and as he marked the utter surprise of his wife.</p> - -<p>“Ah, dear heart,” he said, “thou didst not -know—the priest wrote down the words for me—long -ago—I loved it—and wished to keep it—and -I hid it away”—but here the dying peasant, -too exhausted for further speech, paused, -and then, turning to Elsa the blue eyes from -which the light was swiftly fading, murmured -to her:</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Take it, little one; ’tis the rune—do with it -as thou wilt.”</p> - -<p>Elsa was so overcome that she fell to crying -bitterly, and neither she nor Dame Ulricborg -noticed the sound of sleighbells, for the ground -was covered with a light snow. In a few minutes, -however, the cottage door opened, and in -came Elsa’s father, all anxiety for the safety of -his little girl. When Elsa, hearing him, came -into the living room, he caught her in his arms -and kissed her passionately, for he had been -greatly alarmed on learning of her journey, and -had set off in hot haste to find her.</p> - -<p>Herr Lönnrot, too, who had grown much -better, had insisted on coming with him, and -was even then slowly walking toward the cottage -door, for he was still feeble from his illness. -He, too, was delighted to find Elsa -safely cared for; but both he and Elsa’s father -hushed their voices when she told them of the -peasant Ulricborg. They stepped softly into -the other room, and Herr Lönnrot’s practised<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> -eye, for you remember he was a physician, at -once saw that his skill could do nothing to help -the old man. As the Herr gently smoothed -the coverlid the sick peasant gave a faint smile -to the faithful old wife who still bent over him, -and then, as Elsa stood reverently holding the -yellow papers between her little palms, he -turned to her a long lingering look that seemed -to say:</p> - -<p>“Farewell, little one! and farewell to the -beloved song, that I have cherished so jealously -all these years. I must leave thee now, but I -leave thee in loving hands—farewell.” And -then peacefully, as the wife laid her withered -cheek close to his, his spirit passed away to find -their little Aino.</p> - -<p>Afterward, when Elsa gave to Herr Lönnrot -the precious papers on which the rune was written, -at first he looked at them in amazement; -but his heart filled with delight when he learned -what the papers contained. He drew Elsa to -him, and kissing her forehead declared that she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> -had not only pleased him beyond measure, but -had done honor to old Finland in helping -complete the immortal poem he was striving to -save.</p> - -<p>When, some weeks later, Herr Lönnrot went -away, after providing for the comfort of Dame -Ulricborg, he journeyed back to Helsingfors, -the capital city of Finland; and told the scholars -who were studying the poetry of the land how -the little girl had been the means of bringing to -light one of the most beautiful of the runes. -Then the scholars had a little silver medal -made which they sent to Elsa, and which she -took great pride in keeping through all her life; -and no doubt her great-grandchildren still keep -it to this day.</p> - -<p>As for Herr Lönnrot, he lived to put together -the runes he had collected, and when he had -finished he called the poem “Kalevala,” which -in our language means “Land of Heroes,” because -it tells the wonderful story of the heroes -of that ancient land.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span></p> - -<p>And some day, perhaps, you will read this -“Kalevala,” for it is one of the noblest and -most beautiful poems in all the world. And -then when you come to the rune which tells of -the birth of the harp, you too will be glad that -the little Finnish girl was the means of saving -it from being lost forever.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">COUNT HUGO’S SWORD</h2> - -<p class="pch">HOW THE PEASANT BOY GEOFFREY BY HIS<br /> -BRAVERY AND DEVOTION PREVENTED<br /> -A DUEL OF GREAT NOBLES AND<br /> -BECAME PAGE TO THE<br /> -GOOD KING LOUIS</p> - -<p>“Tee dee, deedle de de!” shrieked the cockatoo, -from his perch high up in the gabled window -of the old inn. “Tee de!” He was a -pink and white cockatoo, with a beautiful tuft -on top of his head; one of his legs was chained -to a carved wooden perch that projected from -the window-sill, while with his free claw he -carefully balanced a large silver spoon, of antique -pattern, from the contents of which he -was very deliberately dining. For he was no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> -common bird. Monsieur Jean the landlord of -this “Guillaume-le-Conquérant” inn, of the -ancient town of Dives, being something of a -bird fancier, had but lately bought him, and -for fear he might fly away, was thus keeping -him chained to the window of monsieur’s own -apartment until he should grow used to his new -home. As he now slowly picked from his -spoon the last morsel, and swallowed it with a -great ruffling of feathers all the way down his -throat, again he shrilled out in a high-pitched -mimicking tone, “Tee deedle!” and this time a -little boy looked up quickly from the courtyard -below.</p> - -<p>The boy was seated on a bench under a plane-tree, -and held in his hands a sheet of yellow -parchment on which was written a musical -score, whose large black notes he was trying to -hum over.</p> - -<p>“Fie, Cockie!” he cried, as he looked up, -“dost thou not know ’tis a wicked sin to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> -mock me when I am learning the holy mass -music?”</p> - -<p>But Cockie only screwed his head to one side, -shook his empty spoon, and peered down with -an impudent stare, as with a sigh the little boy -once more applied himself to his task. In a few -moments, however, he was again interrupted, -this time by a call from beyond the kitchen:</p> - -<p>“Geoffrey! Geoffrey! come hither and help -catch this fowl for the Count Hugo’s soup to-morrow!”</p> - -<p>After a hot chase, Geoffrey succeeded in -catching the fat hen and handing her over to -the white-capped cook of the inn kitchen, and -then he once more sat down and took up his -parchment; for though a serving boy through -the week, on Sunday he took his place with the -little choristers of the Dives cathedral, and -Father Anselm had allowed him to take the -score home with him, so that he might practise -in his leisure moments.</p> - -<p>But as he now tried to go over the black<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> -notes, there was a mournful cadence to every -tone, for Geoffrey was very unhappy. Usually -he was gay as a bird, and indeed sang very like -one; but to-day he had a weight on his mind, as -he sat there in the courtyard of the quaint old -inn.</p> - -<p>It was long, long ago that Geoffrey lived—nearly -six hundred years. The inn in which -he served had been built in the Norman town -of Dives nearly three centuries earlier by the -great Duke of Normandy, William the Conqueror, -whose name, which in French (for Normandy -is a part of France) is Guillaume-le-Conquérant, -the inn still bore in Geoffrey’s time -as it bears to this day. The Duke William had -built the house because he wished to have some -safe and pleasant stopping place during the time -he was overseeing the finishing and freighting -of the fleet of boats which lay near by in the -river Dives, and in which he meant to sail to -the conquest of England.</p> - -<p>And so, with such illustrious beginning, the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> -inn had become very famous among the nobles -of Normandy, and grown larger and larger, -till, in the days when Geoffrey lived, it was a -very beautiful place indeed. The courtyard, -which one entered through an arched gateway -covered with guelder roses, was surrounded -by ancient wooden buildings; their -dark mossy beams were put together with -white plaster, and their innumerable picturesque -peaks and gables and wooden galleries -and winding stairways were richly overhung -with masses of the most lovely vines; for roses, -wistarias, clematis, and jasmines clambered -everywhere. There were two gardens also; -one for the kitchen, the other full of lilies and -clove pinks and French daisies, and numberless -sweet old-fashioned flowers; for Monsieur -Jean, the innkeeper, had much taste and loved -both flowers and birds. Indeed, besides several -cockatoos, he always kept dozens of peacocks -that trailed about the courtyard squawking -and spreading their gorgeous tails every<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> -time a new guest entered the gateway. There -were fine pigeons, too, and rabbits and chickens, -and no end of interesting things.</p> - -<p>Geoffrey thought it a charming place to -live, and he did not in the least mind the -work he had to do; for all were kind to him, -and moreover, he was happy in being able to -give some of his earnings to his family at -home, who were very poor. His father was -a peasant living on the estate of the young -Count Boni, of Château Beauvais, and had it -not been for the kind-heartedness of this count, -the poor peasant would have had hard shift to -keep his little children in bread; for in those -days the country had been so wasted by wars -that the peasant folk had almost nothing left on -which to live. But the Count Boni had always -been most generous and considerate to the people -on his estate, and especially to Geoffrey’s -father, who was honest, and intelligent above -his class. The count it was who had secured -for Geoffrey the place at the inn, and it was he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> -also who had spoken to the monks of Dives of -the boy’s sweet voice, so that the good Fathers -had become interested, and were taking much -pains in teaching him music.</p> - -<p>And now we come to the reason that Geoffrey -was so unhappy as he sat under the plane-tree, -vainly trying to practise his lesson; for -he was thinking all the while of a deadly peril -that threatened this good Count Boni, to whom -he was deeply grateful for so many things, and -whom he truly loved next to his own father.</p> - -<p>His knowledge of the count’s danger had -come about in this way. It had happened that, -the day before, Geoffrey had been sent to the -Château Beauvais, which was not far distant -from Dives, to carry some rabbits which Monsieur -Jean had promised to Isabeau, the little -daughter of the count. When Geoffrey reached -the château and inquired for the little Lady Isabeau, -he had been sent into the garden, and -there he found her crying as if her heart would -break! Now this grieved Geoffrey very much<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> -indeed; as he quite worshiped the gracious -little girl who used often to visit their cottage -when he lived at home, and who had sometimes -gaily carried him back with her for a day’s -happy romp in the beautiful château grounds.</p> - -<p>When he asked her the reason of her tears, -she had told him between her sobs:</p> - -<p>“O, Geoffrey! my dear father, the count, is -to fight a dreadful duel with the wicked Count -Hugo, who will surely kill him with his evil -sword! I heard nurse Marie talking with the -gardener, and they say he will surely kill him! -Oh! Oh! Oh!” and here poor little Isabeau -fairly shook with the violence of her sobbing.</p> - -<p>Geoffrey tried as best he could to comfort -her, but to no avail; she could not be induced -even to look at the rabbits she had so much -wanted; so at last he was obliged to set them -down quietly, and sorrowfully take his leave, -though not until he had questioned some of the -château pages for more particulars of that -which the little girl had told him. He thus<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> -learned that Count Boni had indeed been challenged -to a duel by the old Count Hugo, who -lived in a castle beyond the city of Meaux.</p> - -<p>Now in those days, when people got into -disputes about things, even a bit of property, -instead of settling the matter in courts of law -as we do, it was quite customary to fight a -“judicial duel,” as it was called; that is, the -two men disputing appointed a meeting-place -where they tried to wound each other, generally -with swords, and the one who succeeded -in disabling, or as sometimes happened, killing -his adversary, was adjudged the better man and -the winner of his case. This was certainly a -strange and cruel way of doing, but six hundred -years ago people did many strange and -cruel things. Had young Count Boni merely -engaged to fight an ordinary duel, that would -have been bad enough, though it would not perhaps -have been a matter of such concern; for -the count was brave and a good swordsman,—and,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> -ah, well! one must expect a duel now and -then.</p> - -<p>But that which caused Isabeau, and Geoffrey, -too, when he learned of it, such grief, was that -her father was to fight the Count Hugo; for -this nobleman was known to be most wicked -and unscrupulous. It was his custom to pick -an unjust quarrel with some noble whose lands -he coveted and falsely claimed; then he would -challenge his victim to a “judicial duel,” which -always resulted in the noble being slain, and -his estates being seized by Hugo. For no one -had ever been able to stand against the wicked -count, who fought not merely to wound, but to -kill, and who had the reputation of being the -most skilful and merciless swordsman in all -France. Indeed, his cruel sword had slain so -many noble lords that people declared it was -bewitched; that Count Hugo, who had been a -crusader, had obtained it from the heathen Saracens, -who had forged it under some evil spell.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> -They insisted the more on the unholy power of -this sword, as Count Hugo himself seemed to -regard it with great superstition and always preferred -it to any other weapon; though, indeed, -many people even went further in their talk, and -asserted also that the count had got his unhallowed -skill from some heathen wizard, and that -any sword would, in his hands, be certain to deal -a fatal thrust.</p> - -<p>And so it was that when he chose a victim for -one of his duels, it was considered equal to a -death warrant; though he always took care to -make the nobles he challenged so angry that -they would not listen to reason, and would fight -him regardless of the fate of all who had crossed -swords with him before. This, too, it was -whispered, was a part of his sorcery—though -perhaps really it was because the high-spirited -Norman noblemen were no cowards, and would -let no one assail their honor or seize their property -if they could possibly help it.</p> - -<p>The more Geoffrey thought of these things,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> -and of the many kindnesses of Count Boni, and -then as he saw in memory the sweet, tear-stained -face of little Isabeau, his singing became -more and more melancholy, till at last he stopped -altogether, and gave himself up to thinking. -He knew from the inn servants that the -Count Hugo was expected there the next day, -and that the duel was fixed for the following -morning just outside the walls of Dives.</p> - -<p>“Oh,” he thought, “if it only, only could -in some way be prevented!” Now Count -Boni himself would have been very indignant -had he known that anybody was thinking it -should be prevented; for, just as Count Hugo -had desired, he was very angry with his adversary, -and had no wish to avoid the encounter. -But that could not prevent Geoffrey from wishing -it might be avoided for him.</p> - -<p>Indeed, Geoffrey had learned many things. -He had a quick intelligence, and was very observant, -and many travelers came to the inn; -so he was by no means so ignorant of affairs as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> -many little boys of his age. He had heard it -said that the Norman nobles had long sought -in vain for some pretext to rid themselves of -the wicked Hugo, who was a rich and powerful -lord and seemed to lead a life charmed against -all attack, for he had been many times openly -assailed. As to his shameless dueling, since -that was then within bounds of the law, they -could do nothing. So how, thought Geoffrey -sadly, how could he, a poor little peasant boy, -hope to do anything where the great nobles -seemed powerless!</p> - -<p>But, by and by, he was aroused from his reverie -by Monsieur Jean, who wished his help in -the many preparations demanded of the inn folk -by the important guest of the morrow, this hateful -Hugo who was coming to kill his dear Count -Boni! Ugh! had it not been bad enough to -have to catch the chicken for his soup? How -he wished it might strangle him! And how -poor Geoffrey hated himself now because he -was compelled to assist in this and that arrangement<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> -for the entertainment of the murderous -nobleman and his many followers. How he -wished they were all at the bottom of the Red -Sea!</p> - -<p>But at last, after much labor, that disagreeable -day wore to an end for the little boy, though -when he went to bed and tried to forget his -troubles, he dreamed all night of poor little -Isabeau, and seemed to hear her piteous sobs -and to see the hot tears streaming down her -pretty pink cheeks.</p> - -<p>Early the next morning the inn was astir, -and busy with more preparations for the expected -guests. And, sure enough, just before -midday, in through the rose-covered gateway -galloped four outriders, wearing the crimson -livery of Count Hugo, and insolently jingling -their bridle reins and clanking their great gilded -spurs.</p> - -<p>Shortly after their arrival the coach itself -dashed into the middle of the courtyard with a -great clatter of hoofs and wheels, followed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> -by a long train of mounted and liveried servants, -and lackeys, and pages, and men-at-arms; -for traveling in those days was none too safe -without a guard of spearmen and lancers. -The coach was painted a bright yellow and -richly gilded; on the panels of its doors the -count’s crest and coat of arms were blazoned in -blue and crimson; and no sooner had its wheels -stopped than the lackeys jumped from their -horses and, running to its side, flung open the -doors, which they respectfully held back as still -others assisted the nobleman to alight.</p> - -<p>Count Hugo was a heavily-built man of middle -age, with cold, cruel eyes, and mustachios -of grisly gray; he was richly dressed in a green -velvet suit with crimson satin facings and ruffles -of the finest lace; his shoe buckles sparkled -with diamonds. Geoffrey, who from a quiet -corner was watching everything, involuntarily -clenched his fists as he saw the evil-omened -sword, encased in an elaborately-wrought scabbard,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> -poking hatefully out from under the tail -of the count’s beautiful velvet coat.</p> - -<p>As Hugo, followed by his retinue, crossed the -courtyard, there was a great bowing and scraping -from Monsieur Jean and all the inn servants; -the peacocks spread their gorgeous tails -and screamed at the tops of their voices; the -pigeons puffed and pouted and strutted about; -the cockatoo shrieked loudly and flourished his -silver spoon; and the rabbits ran away with -their ears flat to their heads with fright, and hid -under the cabbage leaves in the garden until -the commotion of the count’s arrival had somewhat -subsided.</p> - -<p>But at last the great man had been ushered -into his rooms, where he had breakfasted on the -most elaborate products of the cooks’ skill; -while on the spits in the great inn kitchen huge -haunches of venison and beef were turning and -browning in front of the blazing fire, and the -white-capped and aproned scullions were running<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> -about with big ladles and spoons in their -hands making ready the dinner for the large -company of guests.</p> - -<p>Geoffrey had, at their bidding, done many -errands, and last of all had brought up from -the garden a great basket of vegetables. He -had wished, as he tragically jerked them out of -the ground and brandished them in the air, -that each separate carrot, leek and radish might -stick in Count Hugo’s wicked throat, and stay -there forever! Now at length tired out, he -sat down to rest on his bench under the plane-tree.</p> - -<p>As he sat there, presently through the arched -gateway there entered a man dressed in a frayed -waistcoat of ragged satin, knee breeches of blue -plush much the worse for wear, and leather -leggings from which half the buckles were gone. -Slung around his neck by a gay green ribbon -hung a viol, and in one hand he grasped a -slender little chain that held in leash a small -monkey wearing a tiny red cap. This motley<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> -figure was one of the strolling jongleurs, half -juggler, half troubadour, who flourished at -that time in all parts of France, and managed -to eke out a living from the pranks of their -monkeys and the practice of the “gay science,” -as it was called; that is, by the singing of songs -which they themselves usually made up and set -to music.</p> - -<p>As this particular jongleur entered the courtyard, -he spied Geoffrey, and strolling over to -the bench amiably seated himself beside the -boy with a friendly “Good morrow, my lad!”</p> - -<p>“Good morrow, sir,” answered Geoffrey, -rather absently.</p> - -<p>The jongleur then caught sight of the coach -drawn up by the inn wall.</p> - -<p>“Ah,” he said, “small wonder none came -forth to welcome us. Other guests are ahead -of me, I perceive.” And, as the monkey -climbed upon his knee, he added: “Had thou -and I fared hither in yonder yellow cart, Pippo, -we should have had the whole inn at our feet.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> -And monsieur, the landlord, would have been -down on his knees humbly beseeching to know -when my Lord Pippo would be pleased to dine! -Hey! Pippo! is’t not true?”</p> - -<p>But Pippo, paying no attention to him, began -mischievously to finger the strings of the -viol with his little brown claws, and the jongleur, -with a gay laugh, turning to Geoffrey, -inquired:</p> - -<p>“To whom does yonder gaud belong?”</p> - -<p>“It is the coach of Count Hugo,” said Geoffrey; -“he came to-day, and is to fight a duel -with Count Boni, of Château Beauvias, to-morrow -morning.”</p> - -<p>“So!” said the jongleur with a short whistle; -“well, then, their countships had better let -no grass grow under their noble feet, for the -king hath but just issued an edict forbidding all -such dueling from now on, henceforth and forever.”</p> - -<p>“What, sir?” said Geoffrey, suddenly rousing -up excitedly; “what is that thou sayest?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Well, well, little man! thou seemest to -take this matter somewhat to heart! I was -merely mentioning the new edict of our blessed -King Louis Ninth, God save his soul, which forbids -dueling! It seems our sovereign lord hath -grown weary of the foolish practice whereby he -hath lost so many noble subjects, and moreover, -being a wise monarch, hath become convinced -that all disputes should be settled in the courts -of law, which he hath been studying much since -his return from Constantinople, where the law -is held in high esteem—in short, he will have -no more ‘judicial duels’; and yesterday when -I and Pippo were in Rouen, we heard the -king’s heralds as they solemnly proclaimed the -new edict to the people.”</p> - -<p>“Oh!” exclaimed Geoffrey delightedly, -“thank the blessed saints, then, the duel can -not be fought to-morrow!”</p> - -<p>“Hold, hold,” said the jongleur, “not so -fast, my lad—”</p> - -<p>“Nay,” cried Geoffrey, “but how dare they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> -when the king forbids?” and, dragging the -jongleur up by the hand, he added: “Come -with me now and we will seek the wicked -Count Hugo, and tell him the news! Come!”</p> - -<p>“Nay, nay,” the jongleur replied, “not I!”</p> - -<p>“Why, is it not true?” demanded Geoffrey.</p> - -<p>“True as gospel,” said the jongleur, “but -thou art but a child; dost thou fancy two noble -lords, bent on the sword play, would for one -moment be stayed by the word of a poor -strolling jongleur? Nay, I should but receive -a drubbing for my pains if I sought to inform -that cruel Hugo. I prefer, thank you, to keep -my bones whole; especially as I could do no -good. Moreover, let them spit each other, if -they so desire! I do not care, youngster, how -many duels they fight!”</p> - -<p>But when he looked down and saw the grief -in Geoffrey’s eyes, he softened, and added: -“But since thou seemest to care so much, little -one, I would risk the drubbing, by my -faith, I would! if ’twere to any purpose. But<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> -I am older than thou, and somewhat a man of -the world,” here the jongleur straightened himself -up; “and I swear to thee, ’twould work -naught but mischief were I to seek out yonder -count and strive to prevent his encounter to-morrow. -He would simply be angered, and -would not believe me, or would pretend not to, -because he does not wish to be stopped till he -hath killed this Count Boni you tell me of, and -got his lands. Naught but the king’s heralds -themselves could hinder that affair.” And -then, as he meditated, he added: “’Tis a monstrous -pity, though! When didst thou say they -fight, little one? In the morning? A monstrous -pity! For the heralds will no doubt arrive -in Dives to-morrow afternoon; they were -to come hither on leaving Rouen. Thou knowest -they must proclaim the edict through all the -cities of the realm!”</p> - -<p>Six hundred years ago printing and newspapers -and the telegraph were unknown; and so -when a war was to be undertaken, or peace settled<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> -upon, or a new law made, the king sent his -heralds about through all his dominions, and -they made proclamation to the people, with a -great flourish of trumpets and much quaint ceremony.</p> - -<p>But here Pippo became engaged in a squabble -with a fat peacock, and the jongleur rising, -separated them, and then strolled off toward -the inn kitchen; for he had journeyed far, and -the savory smells wafted out into the courtyard -suddenly reminded him that he was very hungry.</p> - -<p>Geoffrey, thus left alone, fell to thinking, and -he thought and thought as never before in all -his life. So the heralds were on their way to -Dives, if what the jongleur told was true, and -he believed it was; and the jongleur had said, -moreover, that these heralds could stop even -the wicked Hugo from carrying out his designs. -Geoffrey felt that this was true also, for -he knew that not even noblemen dared openly -defy the king. And then he reasoned, perhaps<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> -more wisely than he knew, that Hugo stirred -up and fought these “judicial duels” merely to -increase his property and not to satisfy his personal -honor; and that if nothing were to be -gained, Hugo would surely not fight. The king -had forbidden his subjects to acquire property -that way; the great thing, therefore, was to prevent -the encounter in the morning, so that the -heralds might have time to come to Dives and -make their proclamation, which would certainly -put an end to the whole affair. But how, how -could he, Geoffrey, do this?</p> - -<p>At last, however, an idea occurred to him -that made his eyes brighten and his cheeks -flush. If he could only get hold of that bewitched -Saracen sword of Count Hugo’s, and -hide it, why, probably, as the count was known -superstitiously to prefer it to any other weapon, -he might be delayed hunting for it till the heralds -came.</p> - -<p>As Geoffrey thought over this plan, he reflected -that if he got possession of the sword it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> -must be that night, as the count wore it constantly -all day long; and though he felt like a -highwayman and a robber even to plan it, for -he was an honest little lad, yet he said to himself -there was no other way to save Isabeau’s -father.</p> - -<p>And so, full of his project, as a preliminary, -he got up and sauntered past that part of the -inn where he knew was the count’s sleeping -chamber, and noticed that it had one window -opening upon one of the little wooden galleries -which was approached from the outside by a -winding stair. The window was barred with -heavy wooden rounds; but as Geoffrey measured -with his eye the distance between these -bars, he felt sure that if he made himself as -flat as possible, he could squeeze in through -them. It would not be so easy to get the sword -out, but perhaps he could manage it somehow; -he <i>must</i> manage it!</p> - -<p>Having thus made up his mind as to what he -would do, Geoffrey passed the rest of the afternoon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> -and evening in a fever of impatience. -After supper was over he hid himself in the -garden behind a rose bush, and as he watched -the inn it seemed as if the last of the clatter -would never die away, and people would never -settle down and go to sleep! But at length—after -weeks, it seemed to Geoffrey—the last -candle flickered out and the inn became quiet.</p> - -<p>He waited, however, an hour or two longer, -knowing the habit of the maids to lie awake and -gossip in the dark. But when he heard the -Dives watchman passing the inn gateway and -calling out, “Midnight! and all’s well!” he -crept out, and keeping close in the shadow of -the wall, reached the stairway to the gallery by -the count’s sleeping room. The moon had -risen and might have betrayed him as he -mounted it, but fortunately the stair was overhung -by vines. He made his way along the -gallery to the count’s window. There was no -glass in it, and, as it was summer time, the -heavy wooden shutter that guarded it was wide<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> -open, the bars seeming quite enough protection -from ordinary intruders. But they could not -keep out this little boy, who drew in his breath -and made his little stomach as flat as possible -as he cautiously wriggled in between them. At -last he stood on tiptoe in the count’s chamber.</p> - -<p>As he gazed about, here and there the moonlight -touched some object of its quaint furnishings, -and although Geoffrey, on the inn errands, -had been in the room before, everything now -looked strange and unfamiliar to his wide-open, -excited eyes. To his dismay he had not considered -how he should find the sword; but as he -stood wondering and groping about in the dim -light, a beam of moonlight fell at the foot of the -high-posted, carved and canopied bed where the -count lay asleep, and showed the scabbard with -the sword in it, hanging by its chased metal -hook to a projecting ornament in the heavy -carving of the bed. Geoffrey tiptoed over toward -it, all the while listening, with his heart in -his mouth, to the count’s breathing. He seemed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> -to be sound asleep, for now and then he -gave a little snore; but, as with trembling fingers -Geoffrey took down the sword, its tip end -struck lightly against a tall chest of drawers -near by, and the count started slightly. Geoffrey -crouched down hopelessly in the shadow of -a chair, expecting the count to pounce upon him -at any moment.</p> - -<p>But in a few minutes Hugo’s regular breathing -told that he was again deep asleep.</p> - -<p>Geoffrey then hastened to make his way back -to the window, though he found the sword in its -heavy scabbard rather an awkward burden for a -little boy, and it became still more awkward as -he prepared to climb between the bars. He -first thought he would take the sword out of its -sheath; but then how could he drop it to the -gallery below without making a noise? He -could not climb out with it in his arms. So, on -second thought, he decided to leave it in the -scabbard, whose metal hook he saw might be -useful; then lifting this, which took all his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> -strength, he carefully thrust it outside between -the bars, on one of which he hung the hook, -thus keeping both sword and sheath from falling.</p> - -<p>He next turned his attention to getting himself -out, and climbing up, and squeezing and -squirming, legs first, at last managed once -more to stand outside on the gallery floor. But -it had happened that just as he was making -the last twist through the bars, his foot had accidentally -touched the scabbard, hanging from -the window, and it clanked against the wall. -This time the sound seemed to penetrate the -ears of the sleeping Count Hugo, for he started -up in earnest, though not entirely awake; he -drowsily arose, however, and crossed over to -the window.</p> - -<p>Geoffrey, meantime, hearing him coming, -drew back into the shadow, tightly clutching -the sword, and was hidden by the curtain of -vines.</p> - -<p>As the count peered through the bars, he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> -caught sight of the cockatoo, whose perch was -in one of the gable windows near by. Now, -as good luck had it, the cockatoo also had -been half aroused from his sleep, and giving a -faint screech, began to shift uneasily in his -dreams, from one leg to the other, his chain -clanking against his perch as he did so. Count -Hugo hearing him, at once supposed the -cockatoo responsible for that other clanking -sound which had aroused him; he swore -a round oath, and turned from the window, -muttering to himself, “A plague on that jabbering -popinjay! What with their everlasting -peacocks and monkeys, and heaven only -knows what, a man can not get a wink of sleep -in this accursed tavern!” He then went back -to bed and, angrily flinging himself down, was -soon snoring soundly.</p> - -<p>After a while, Geoffrey, outside on the gallery, -began creeping cautiously along, and at -last managing to get down the stairway, stood -hesitating a moment at its foot; for he had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> -not fully decided what to do with the sword, -now that he had it. He wished as soon as -possible to be rid of the wicked thing; for -everybody was superstitious in those days, and -he felt that some fearful evil threatened him so -long as he had hold of the fatal weapon. He -would really have very much liked to take it -out and throw it in the river Dives, so it could -never kill any one else; but as he remembered -that to do this he would have to climb over the -high wall of the courtyard, for the gate was -locked and the portcullis down, and that then -he would have to run the risk of meeting the -town watchman, he concluded the chances for -being caught were too many, and that he -must hide the sword elsewhere. Moreover, he -thought that to drop it in the river would be -too much like stealing, anyway, which he did -not wish to be guilty of; he merely wished to -keep the count from finding the sword until the -heralds came, when he was willing to restore it.</p> - -<p>So quickly making up his mind, he sped<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> -down into the garden, where he carefully hid -it, scabbard and all, under a thick tangle of -vines and shrubbery which grew in a secluded -corner where the inn people seldom went. -This done, he made his way back to his own -little chamber under one of the gables, and -crept into bed, although he was so excited with -his night’s doings that he could not go to -sleep.</p> - -<p>The next day, as was his custom, Count -Hugo lay abed till the sun was well up, for the -duel was not to take place until beyond the -middle of the morning. When at last he -arose, and his serving men came in to wait -on him as he made his toilet, they adjusted all -his ruffles and laces with the greatest nicety, -freshly curled his wig, tied up his queue with a -crimson ribbon, and smoothed out his velvets -and satins; then everything being ready, they -looked about for the sword, without which -Hugo never budged an inch. But when they -turned to where he told them he had left it the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> -night before, to their great consternation, it -was not there! When they timidly ventured -to tell the count that he must have put it somewhere -else, Hugo, who was busy arranging a -heavy gold chain about his lace collar, curtly -replied, without turning his head: “Ye blind -moles of the earth! I tell you it <i>is</i> there!”</p> - -<p>But when again they were obliged to contradict -him, the count flew into a temper, and -rushing over to the foot of the bed, put out his -hand to seize the sword and give them a wrathful -prick or two all round—but lo! sure enough, -it was <i>not</i> there!</p> - -<p>There then followed a tremendous uproar. -They searched the room from end to end; they -tore down all the old tapestries; they peered -under all the chairs; they climbed up and -crawled all over the high canopy of the ancient -bed; they shook the mattresses; and in their -zeal, even looked in the count’s shaving mug -and under the brass candlesticks.</p> - -<p>Meantime, Hugo himself, in a towering<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> -passion, was striding up and down the room, -cuffing his pages, accusing everybody of robbery, -and threatening right and left to hang -every man of them if the sword were not instantly -found!</p> - -<p>At last, however, neither threats nor rage -proving of the least avail in bringing to light -the lost sword, he descended, followed by his -terrified retinue, to the inn courtyard, and calling -out Monsieur Jean, he stirred up another -terrible commotion. He accused everybody of -everything, and finally wound up by insisting -that the craven Count Boni had hired some -robber to steal the sword in hopes that the duel -might not be fought. He swore that he would -none the less kill poor Boni, sword or no -sword, and meantime ordered the man-at-arms, -who had slept outside his door, to be mercilessly -beaten; for Hugo declared the thief must -have entered through the door, as no man -could possibly have come in between the bars of -the window.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span></p> - -<p>At this Geoffrey, who had been up for a long -while, and had witnessed all this uproar in the -courtyard, felt himself in a very unhappy position; -he had not expected all this. Indeed, -he had given very little thought as to what -might happen to himself or anybody else, when -once he had hidden the sword. He knew now -that fearful punishment awaited him if he were -found out; but he could not bear to have the -good Count Boni’s honor blackened, or that -the poor man-at-arms, who was entirely innocent -of blame, should suffer, because of what -he, Geoffrey, had done.</p> - -<p>So biting his lips hard to keep up his courage -and tightly clenching his hands behind him, -Geoffrey, who was a brave, manly little fellow, -straightway strode out and, standing in front of -the raging Count Hugo, said:</p> - -<p>“Sir, neither Count Boni nor yonder man-at-arms -had aught to do with the loss of your -evil sword. I took it away myself!”</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/ill-127.jpg" width="350" height="732" - alt="" - title="" /> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span></p> - -<p>At this Count Hugo stared at the little boy -for a moment in speechless surprise. Then, -roaring out a terrible oath in a voice like thunder, -he pounced like a wildcat upon poor -Geoffrey, and shook him till his teeth chattered.</p> - -<p>“Thou—thou—miserable varlet!” roared -and sputtered the count. “Thou base-born -knave! So thy monkey fingers have dared to -meddle with my precious sword! Faugh! -Where hast thou put it? Tell me instantly,—<i>parbleu!</i>—or -I will crack every bone in thy -worthless body!”</p> - -<p>And here he fell so viciously to shaking and -cuffing him again, that poor Geoffrey could -hardly open his mouth to answer; but at length -he managed to gasp out resolutely:</p> - -<p>“I will not tell thee till to-morrow. Then I -will restore it to thee! I do not wish to keep -the heathenish thing!”</p> - -<p>At this the rage of the count knew no bounds, -and he doubtless would have killed the poor -little boy then and there, had not Monsieur<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> -Jean and others among the terrified spectators -rushed between them and besought Hugo to -be merciful, and give the boy at least till the -morrow to fulfil his word.</p> - -<p>Hereupon, the count, who even in his wrath -saw reason in what they said, savagely flung -Geoffrey over to one of his men-at-arms, commanding -him to chastise him, chain him, and -keep close watch over him till the morrow. -For the count reflected that if he should hang -the boy then, as he fully intended to do by and -by, he would cut off the only possible means of -finding out where his sword was hidden. For -while the lad was stubborn as a rock, Hugo -had to admit that he seemed honest, and so -perhaps would keep his promise to restore his -prized weapon.</p> - -<p>But the more the count thought of Geoffrey’s -act, the more it puzzled him to account for it. -As he recalled the disturbance of his sleep the -night before, he began to understand that Geoffrey -was the real cockatoo of the affair.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Faugh!” he said to himself, “to think -’twas the clanking of my own good sword that -I mistook for the rattling of that chattering -popinjay’s chain!” But he could not account -for the boy’s curious promise to restore the -weapon on the morrow. If he meant to return -it, why did he take it at all? And why did -he confess and get himself into trouble, when -no one thought of accusing him? The first -part of this question Count Hugo could not answer, -because he knew nothing of the coming -of the heralds and Geoffrey’s wish to put off -the duel; while the last part was equally puzzling -to him, because he had no sense of honor, -and could not see why one should suffer if an -innocent man would do just as well.</p> - -<p>At any rate, he soon tired trying to understand -the matter. Having placed the boy in -safe keeping till the morrow, the next thing -was to have his “second”—(for so the friends -were called who arranged the details of duels -for those who were to do the fighting)—see<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> -Count Boni’s second, who had arrived some -time before, and have the duel fixed for the -following morning, when Count Hugo vowed -he would fight to the death with somebody’s -sword,—whether his own or another’s.</p> - -<p>These matters settled, he remembered that -it was fully noon, and he had not yet breakfasted; -so he haughtily withdrew to the inn -parlor, and commanded Monsieur Jean to have -him served instantly.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile poor Geoffrey went off with the -man-at-arms, who was secretly sorry for the -little boy, and so did not chastise him so cruelly -as the count would have wished; although he -was obliged to give him a few bloody cuts with -the lash across his face and hands, for the sake -of appearances, in case Hugo should happen to -inspect him.</p> - -<p>Poor little boy! Ah! how eagerly he longed -for the arrival of the heralds, as the jongleur -had predicted. But then the dreadful thought -would come, what if something should delay<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> -their journey! Or worst of all, what if the -jongleur had not spoken the truth, and there -were no heralds anyway! These doubts and -fears tormented Geoffrey more and more as the -hours wore on, and still no sign of the longed-for -king’s messengers.</p> - -<p>He began to wish dismally that he had set -farther off the time for restoring the sword; -though he felt sure that unless prevented by -the king’s edict, Count Hugo would fight on -the morrow anyhow, despite the loss of that particular -weapon. It then suddenly occurred to -him, that even if the heralds came and stopped -the duel as he wished, how was he himself to -escape from the clutches of Count Hugo? This -thought sent a cold chill through him; but -when he thought of his dear Count Boni and -the grief of poor little Isabeau, he was not a -whit sorry for what he had done, and with childish -hopefulness looked forward to some good -chance to free him.</p> - -<p>Surely, surely, he said to himself, the king’s<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> -heralds were persons in authority, and would -not see him killed by the cruel Hugo, even if -he had taken and hidden the heathenish old -sword. Did he not mean to give it back, and -had he not done it because of the very law they -were coming to proclaim? Surely they would -help him in some way!</p> - -<p>And so the afternoon wore wearily on. Count -Hugo came once or twice to see that the man-at-arms -had properly beaten him, and even -meditated putting him to some torture to make -him disclose at once the whereabouts of the -sword. But he scarcely dared, as he feared an -uprising of the people of the inn, who, he -saw, were very fond of Geoffrey; so he contented -himself with cruelly striking the lad -once or twice, and determining to deal summarily -with him when he should take him away -from Dives.</p> - -<p>For at that time powerful noblemen did very -much as they pleased. The good King Louis -had been away fighting in the Holy Land for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> -so long that affairs in France had for the most -part taken care of themselves; and though since -his return the king was striving hard to correct -many abuses, there were many things yet to -be looked after. So Count Hugo thought he -should have no trouble in carrying Geoffrey -away as his private prisoner because of the taking -of his sword.</p> - -<p>After the count’s last visit, when he had informed -Geoffrey of some of the punishments he -meant to visit upon him when he got him off in -his own castle, the poor boy began really to -despair! It was growing late, and the sun was -almost to its setting, and still not a sound to -tell of any unusual arrival in Dives. The little -boy lay back, and shut his eyes tight, trying to -forget his miseries, and the dreadful things -ahead of him; but try as he might, now and -then a big tear would force itself through his -closed lids, and trickle down his poor little -blood-stained cheeks.</p> - -<p>And so another hour wore on, Geoffrey growing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> -all the while more despairing and miserable -in his gloomy prospects. But at last, just as he -had given up all hope of the heralds, and concluded -that the plight he had got himself into -had been all useless after all,—he suddenly -started up, and clutching the sleeve of the man-at-arms, -exclaimed, “Hark! what is that?”</p> - -<p>“Hush, hush, little one! ’tis nothing,” said -the man, who was a stupid fellow, half dozing, -and merely thought the lad crazed by his fright.</p> - -<p>“Nay!” cried Geoffrey, “but listen!”</p> - -<p>Here the guard somewhat pricked up his -ears.</p> - -<p>“By my faith!” he answered, “I believe -’tis a blare of trumpets! Some noble must -be coming to Dives!”</p> - -<p>But Geoffrey, with eyes shining, held his -breath, and listened to the sounds, which -seemed to be coming nearer. First there was -a great fanfare of trumpets; then a blare of -horns; and then he could hear the clatter as -the inn folk hastened across the paved courtyard<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span> -to the gateway to see what was going on in the -street without. In a little while some of them -seemed to return, and Geoffrey, who was burning -to know, but could not stir for his chains, -besought the man-at-arms to ask some one the -cause of the commotion; so going over to the -window of the room, he called out to a passer-by.</p> - -<p>“Ho, comrade! what is the meaning of -yonder uproar?”</p> - -<p>“’Tis the king’s heralds,” answered the -voice from without; “he hath sent them to -proclaim a new law forbidding duels!”</p> - -<p>Then, before long, the heralds, having made -the tour of the Dives streets, came riding toward -the inn, escorted by a train of Dives -people. Geoffrey heard their horses’ hoofs as -they pricked in through the gateway, and also -had the great joy of hearing them make the -proclamation itself; for having heard that at -that very moment a nobleman was lodging in -the inn, come there for the purpose of a now<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> -unlawful duel, they halted in the middle of the -courtyard, and rising in their stirrups, blew -their trumpets, and again elaborately announced -the royal edict,—this time for the express -benefit of their two countships, Hugo and -Boni.</p> - -<p>Hearing this, Geoffrey was wild with delight; -it was all working out just as he had -counted on! That is, all but one fact, which -he all at once ruefully remembered; he himself -was at that moment still a prisoner of the -cruel Count Hugo. He had not counted on -that at all!</p> - -<p>O, he thought, if he could only get out and -throw himself on the mercy of the heralds! -They were his only hope; for Count Boni as -yet knew not why he had taken the sword, -and was perhaps angry with him and would -not come at once to help him. So he piteously -begged and besought the man-at-arms -to take off his chains and let him go only so -far as the courtyard. But the man, though he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> -felt sorry for the boy, had too hearty a terror -of the consequences to himself if he let him out -against Hugo’s orders; so he turned a deaf ear -to all Geoffrey’s entreaties, and gruffly told -him he could do nothing for him.</p> - -<p>At this the poor little boy fell to sobbing, -and sobbed and sobbed most of the night; for -the dark had now fallen, and the little fellow -was quite hopeless for the morrow, when he -knew Count Hugo meant to take him away.</p> - -<p>Meantime, that nobleman had passed into -another terrible rage when he heard the edict -of the heralds. He was furious! Furious at -the king, the heralds, at Geoffrey and the -world in general; because he saw himself -thwarted in his plans to kill Boni,—as he felt -confident he could do, with his unholy skill with -the sword,—and to seize Boni’s rich estate. All -this put him in a frightful temper; although he -was wise enough to know that he dare not defy -the king. So he scolded and swore at everybody -in sight, and then sulkily withdrew to his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> -own apartments, after giving orders to have his -coach made ready to leave early in the morning; -for he wished to get off with Geoffrey at -least, before any one could prevent <i>that</i>! And -on the boy he meant to wreak full vengeance.</p> - -<p>So the next morning Hugo, contrary to his -custom, was astir early; he had breakfasted in -his room, and then hastening down to the -courtyard, got into his yellow coach and sent -instant orders for the man-at-arms to bring -Geoffrey and mount the coach also; for he -wished to keep an eye on his victim and also to -demand fulfilment of his promise to restore the -sword. But just as the man-at-arms was on -his way to the count, with his miserable little -prisoner, he was intercepted by the two heralds, -who had been astir earlier even than Hugo.</p> - -<p>Indeed, they were up because they had had -a word or two put into their ears the night before -by the jongleur, who had sought them out -and had a bit of a talk with them. Now the -jongleur was a shrewd fellow, and recalling his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> -conversation under the plane-tree with Geoffrey, -had put two and two together, and had -pretty well understood the boy’s reasons for -carrying off the sword; and admiring him, he had -determined to do the best he could to save him, -if explaining things to the heralds could effect -this. And it seemed it could; for now the heralds, -laying hold of the boy, first asked him if -he had restored the stolen sword.</p> - -<p>“Nay, sirs,” he answered, “but I will right -gladly do as I promised, if ye will let me go -and get it!”</p> - -<p>So one of the heralds went with him down -into the garden, and stood over Geoffrey as he -uncovered the weapon and gathered it up still -safe in its scabbard. Then conducting him back -to the courtyard, and to the door of the count’s -coach, the two king’s messengers stood, one on -each side, as the boy, making an obeisance, -presented the sword to the glowering count.</p> - -<p>The heralds then solemnly announced to all,—for -everyone in the inn had gathered about by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> -this time,—that they bore witness that the lad -had duly restored the stolen property to its -rightful owner; and that punishment for his -taking it must be meted out by his rightful -suzerain, the noble Count Boni, to whose estate -the boy’s family belonged. They demanded -this right for Geoffrey, in the name of -the king.</p> - -<p>Now Count Hugo knew well enough that -every peasant had a right to be tried for a -crime by the nobleman of his own home; but -he had trusted to carry things off with a high -hand, thinking no one at the inn would dare -oppose him; as was undoubtedly the case. But -with the king’s heralds it was different; they -did not fear him, and so he was obliged to give -up the boy.</p> - -<p>This last thwarting of his plans, however, -was almost too much for Hugo! White with -rage, he thundered to his driver to whip up the -horses, and off he clattered, disdainfully turning -his back on the Guillaume-le-Conquérant<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> -inn and all that it contained; and his swarm of -retainers followed him, all quaking in their -boots from fear of their master’s violent temper.</p> - -<p>After the count’s departure, Geoffrey, still in -charge of the heralds, was taken into the great -kitchen of the inn, where everybody gathered -about, delighted at the little boy’s escape from -Hugo’s clutches. The cook gave him some -nice little cakes fresh from the oven; the peacocks -trailed past the open door proudly spreading -their beautiful tails; and the pink and white -cockatoo overhead screamed his “Tee deedle!” -and seemed as pleased as anybody.</p> - -<p>After a while the heralds gave Geoffrey -over into the charge of Count Boni’s second, -who had meantime arrived to say that the -count was outside the walls of Dives, at the appointed -place, and ready to meet Hugo in the -proposed duel. The second was greatly surprised -when he heard how matters had turned -out; for he had spent the day before with -Count Boni at the Château Beauvais, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> -neither he nor his master had yet heard of the -proclamation or the subsequent departure of -Count Hugo. However, he took the little boy -with him back to Count Boni, to whom he delivered -the message the heralds had sent: that -he, Boni, was to decide on what punishment -Geoffrey was to receive for the taking of Hugo’s -sword; though it really seemed that the child -had had punishment enough already, at the -hands of the cruel count himself!</p> - -<p>When Count Boni was told all these things, at -first he was greatly displeased; for he was young -and high-spirited, and very angry with Hugo, -whom he wished to fight regardless of the danger -he ran from such an unscrupulous antagonist, -and he did not like it that a little peasant -boy had interfered.</p> - -<p>Though when he understood how much the -boy had risked and suffered for love of himself -and little Isabeau, he could not find it in his -heart to wish Geoffrey punished. And indeed, -in after years he came heartily to thank the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span> -warm-hearted, devoted little lad, whose impulsive -act had no doubt kept him from losing -both life and property to a wicked and dishonorable -man.</p> - -<p>Meantime Count Boni felt himself in a very -delicate position. As Geoffrey’s overlord, it was -his duty to punish him for taking the sword, -even though it had been restored to its rightful -owner; but as the sword had been taken because -the little boy wished to keep Count Boni -himself from the chance of being killed, how -could he inflict severe punishment upon him? -Indeed, this question was so difficult that the -count concluded he must take time to think it -over, and meantime he held Geoffrey prisoner -at the château. This did not prevent the -boy from having the kindest treatment and -the freedom of the grounds, where he enjoyed -many a merry romp with little Isabeau, who -was happy as a bird, and thought Geoffrey -the nicest and most wonderful boy in all the -world because he had succeeded in preventing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> -the duel. Nor was the least cloud cast over their -glee when one day they heard that the wicked -Hugo had died in a fit of apoplexy, brought -on by one of his terrible rages. In fact, if the -truth must be told, they went off by themselves -and had a shamelessly gay extra romp in celebration -of the news.</p> - -<p>Thus several weeks had passed, when one day -there arrived at the château a messenger from -the king, demanding the custody of a peasant -boy by the name of Geoffrey.</p> - -<p>Poor Geoffrey was again badly frightened, -thinking that this time surely he would receive -punishment! But his fears were turned to delight -when Count Boni told him that the king -had sent, not to imprison him, but to have him -live in the royal household. The messenger -explained to Boni that when the heralds returned -to Paris, they told King Louis the story -of the little boy, and that he was greatly pleased -with the lad’s bravery and devotion, and wished -to have him brought to the palace.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/ill-147.jpg" width="400" height="537" - alt="" - title="" /> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span></p> - -<p>So Geoffrey became a page of King Louis, -and was very, very happy. He was happy, too, -because he could now send back to those he -loved at home much more for their comfort than -he could as a little serving boy at the Guillaume-le-Conquérant -inn. And then, sometimes, -when one of his messengers had an errand to -Dives, the good king would let Geoffrey go -along, and he would then make a little visit to -his family, and would see his dear Count Boni -and little Isabeau, who never ceased to take -the greatest pride and interest in him.</p> - -<p>By and by, King Louis discovered how -sweet a voice he possessed, and that it had -been well-trained for church music. This -pleased the king much, as he was very devout -in his worship, and did a great deal during his -reign to improve the music in the cathedrals of -France. So Geoffrey was at once placed under -masters, and he sang for a number of years in -the king’s own chapel, becoming one of the -most famous little choristers of the realm.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> -Later on, as he grew to manhood, he passed -from being a page, to a squire; and after that, -he was appointed man-at-arms in the bodyguard -of the king, who grew to love and trust -him greatly.</p> - -<p>Some years later still, when King Louis again -set forth for the East, on the crusade from which -he was never to return, Geoffrey was among -the most faithful of the followers who took ship -with him. And when the poor king lay dying, -before the walls of the far-away city of Tunis, -it was Geoffrey whose tenderness and devotion -helped to comfort the last days of the stricken -monarch.</p> - -<p>When all was over, and the little band of -crusaders once more returned to their homes in -France, none among them was more loved and -respected than the Viscount Geoffrey; for shortly -before his death the good King Louis had, -with his own hand, bestowed knighthood upon -the little peasant boy, declaring that he had won -the distinction, not only because of his great<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span> -bravery and his honorable life, but also because -of the exceeding sweetness and gentleness of -his character.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">FELIX</h2> - -<p class="pch">WHO SOUGHT HIS LOST SHEEP AT CHRISTMASTIDE<br /> -<span class="ls">BY A WAY THAT LED TO HIS</span><br /> -HEART’S DESIRE AND MADE<br /> -HIM A FAMOUS CARVER<br /> -OF OLD PROVENCE</p> - - -<p>A very long while ago, perhaps as many as -two hundred years, the little Provençal village -of Sur Varne was all bustle and stir, for it was -the week before Christmas; and in all the world, -no one has known better how to keep the joyous -holiday than have the happy-hearted people -of Provence.</p> - -<p>Everybody was busy, hurrying to and fro, -gathering garlands of myrtle and laurel, bringing -home Yule logs with pretty old songs and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span> -ceremonies, and in various ways making ready -for the all-important festival.</p> - -<p>Not a house in Sur Varne but in some manner -told the coming of the blessed birthday, and -especially were there great preparations in the -cottage of the shepherd, Père Michaud. This -cottage, covered with white stucco, and thatched -with long marsh-grass, stood at the edge of the -village; olive and mulberry trees clustered about -it, and a wild jasmine vine clambered over the -doorway, while on this particular morning all -around the low projecting eaves hung a row of -tiny wheat-sheaves, swinging in the crisp December -air, and twinkling in the sunlight like -a golden fringe. For the Père Michaud had -been up betimes, making ready the Christmas -feast for the birds, which no Provençal peasant -ever forgets at this gracious season; and the -birds knew it, for already dozens of saucy robins -and linnets and fieldfares were gathering in the -Père’s mulberry-trees, their mouths fairly watering -with anticipation.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span></p> - -<p>Within the cottage the good dame, the Misè -Michaud, with wide sleeves rolled up and kirtle -tucked back, was hard at work making all -manner of holiday sweetmeats; while in the huge -oven beside the blazing hearth the great Christmas -cakes were baking, the famous <i>pompou</i> and -almond pâtés, dear to the hearts of the children -of old Provence.</p> - -<p>Now and then, as the cottage door swung -open on the dame’s various errands, one might -hear a faint “Baa, baa!” from the sheepfold, -where little Félix Michaud was very busy also.</p> - -<p>Through the crevices of its weather-beaten -boards came the sound of vigorous scrubbing -of wool, and sometimes an impatient “Ninette! -Ninette!—thou silly sheep! Wilt thou never -stand still?” Or else, in a softer tone, an eager -“Beppo, my little Beppo, dost thou know? -Dost thou know?” To all of which there would -come no answer save the lamb’s weak little -“Baa, baa!”</p> - -<p>For Ninette, Beppo’s mother, was a silly old<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span> -sheep, and Beppo was a very little lamb; and -so they could not possibly be expected to know -what a great honor had suddenly befallen them. -They did not dream that, the night before, Père -Michaud had told Félix that his Beppo (for -Beppo was Félix’s very own) had been chosen -by the shepherds for the “offered lamb” of the -Christmas Eve procession when the holy midnight -mass would be celebrated in all its festival -splendor in the great church of the village.</p> - -<p>Of the importance of this procession in the -eyes of the peasant folk it is difficult to say -enough. To be the offered lamb, or indeed the -offered lamb’s mother, for both always went -together, was the greatest honor and glory that -could possibly happen to a Provençal sheep, and -so little Félix was fairly bursting with pride and -delight. And so it was, too, that he was now -busying himself washing their wool, which he -determined should shine like spun silver on the -great night.</p> - -<p>He tugged away, scrubbing and brushing and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span> -combing the thick fleeces, now and then stopping -to stroke Beppo’s nose, or to box Ninette’s -ears when she became too impatient, and at last, -after much labor, considered their toilets done -for the day; then, giving each a handful of -fresh hay to nibble, he left the fold and trudged -into the cottage.</p> - -<p>“Well, little one,” said the Misè, “hast thou -finished thy work?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, mother,” answered Félix; “and I shall -scrub them so each day till the Holy Night! -Even now Ninette is white as milk, and Beppo -shines like an angel! Ah, but I shall be proud -when he rides up to the altar in his little cart! -And, mother, dost thou not really think him far -handsomer than was Jean’s lamb, that stupid -Nano, in the procession last year?”</p> - -<p>“There, there,” said the Misè, “never thou -mind about Jean’s lamb, but run along now -and finish thy crèche.”</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/ill-157.jpg" width="400" height="317" - alt="" - title="" /> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span></p> - -<p>Now, in Provence, at the time when Félix -lived, no one had ever heard of such a thing -as a Christmas tree; but in its stead every cottage -had a “crèche”; that is, in one corner of -the great living-room, the room of the fireplace, -the peasant children and their fathers and mothers -built upon a table a mimic village of Bethlehem, -with houses and people and animals, and, -above all, with the manger, where the Christ -Child lay. Every one took the greatest pains -to make the crèche as perfect as possible, and -some even went so far as to fasten tiny angels -to the rafters, so that they hovered over the toy -houses like a flock of white butterflies; and sometimes -a gold star, hung on a golden thread, -quivered over the little manger, in memory of -the wonderful star of the Magi.</p> - -<p>In the Michaud cottage the crèche was already -well under way. In the corner across -from the fireplace the Père had built up a -mound, and this Félix had covered with bits of -rock and tufts of grass, and little green boughs -for trees, to represent the rocky hillside of -Judea; then, half-way up, he began to place<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> -the tiny houses. These he had cut out of -wood and adorned with wonderful carving, in -which he was very skilful. And then, such -figures as he had made, such quaint little men -and women, such marvelous animals, camels -and oxen and sheep and horses, were never -before seen in Sur Varne. But the figure on -which he had lavished his utmost skill was that -of the little Christ Child, which was not to be -placed in the manger until the Holy Night itself.</p> - -<p>Félix kept this figure in his blouse pocket, -carefully wrapped up in a bit of wool, and he -spent all his spare moments striving to give it -some fresh beauty; for I will tell you a secret: -poor little Félix had a great passion for carving, -and the one thing for which he longed -above all others was to be allowed to apprentice -himself in the workshop of Père Videau, -who was the master carver of the village, and -whose beautiful work on the portals of the -great church was the admiration of Félix’s<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> -heart. He longed, too, for better tools than -the rude little knife he had, and for days and -years in which to learn to use them.</p> - -<p>But the Père Michaud had scant patience -with these notions of the little son’s. Once, -when Félix had ventured to speak to him about -it, he had insisted rather sharply that he was to -stick to his sheep-tending, so that when the -Père himself grew old he could take charge of -the flocks and keep the family in bread; for -the Père had small faith in the art of the carver -as being able to supply the big brown loaves -that the Misè baked every week in the great -stone oven. So Félix was obliged to go on -minding the flocks; but whenever he had a -moment of his own, he employed it in carving -a bit of wood or chipping at a fragment of soft -stone.</p> - -<p>But while I have stopped to tell you all this, -he had almost finished the crèche; the little -houses were all in place, and the animals -grouped about the holy stable, or else seeming<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> -to crop the tufts of moss on the mimic rocky -hillside. Over the manger with its tiny wisp of -hay, twinkled a wonderful star that Félix had -made from some golden beads that the Misè -had treasured for years as part of her peasant -bridal finery.</p> - -<p>Altogether, the crèche was really very prettily -arranged, and after giving several final -touches, Félix stood back and surveyed it with -much satisfaction.</p> - -<p>“Well, well!” said the Père Michaud, who -had just entered the cottage, “’tis a fine bit of -work thou hast there, my son! Truly ’tis a -brave crèche! But,” he added, “I trow thou -hast not forgotten the live sheep in the fold -whilst thou hast been busy with these little -wooden images here?”</p> - -<p>“Nay, father,” answered Félix, “that I have -not”—but here the Misè called them both to -the midday meal, which she had spread smoking -hot on the shining deal table.</p> - -<p>When this was finished Félix arose, and, as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> -the Père wished, once more went out to the -fold to see how the sheep, especially his little -Beppo, were faring.</p> - -<p>As he pushed open the swinging door, Ninette, -who was lazily dozing with her toes -doubled up under her fleece, blinked her eyes -and looked sleepily around; but Beppo was -nowhere to be seen.</p> - -<p>“Ninette!” demanded Félix, fiercely, “what -hast thou done with my Beppo?”</p> - -<p>At this Ninette peered about in a dazed sort -of way, and gave an alarmed little “Baa!” -For she had not before missed Beppo, who, -while she was asleep, had managed to push -open the door of the fold and scamper off, no -one knew just where.</p> - -<p>Félix gazed around in dismay when he realized -that his lamb, the chosen one, who had -brought such pride and honor to him, was gone!</p> - -<p>“Beppo!” he shouted at the top of his lungs, -“Beppo! Beppo-o!”</p> - -<p>But no trace could he see of the little bundle<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span> -of fleece he had scrubbed and combed so carefully -that morning.</p> - -<p>He stood irresolute a moment; then, thinking -that if Beppo really were running off, not -a second was to be lost, he set out at a brisk -pace across the sheep-meadow. He had no -idea in what direction the truant lamb would -be likely to stray, but on he went, calling every -little while in a shrill voice, “Beppo!” Now -and then he fancied that he saw in the distance -a glimpse of white; but once it proved to be the -Misè Fouchard’s linen hung to dry on a currant-bush, -and again it was a great white stone—but -no Beppo; and all the while Félix kept on, quite -forgetting that Beppo’s weak, woolly legs could -not possibly have carried him so great a distance.</p> - -<p>By and by he had left the village meadows -far behind, and was skirting the great marsh. -Sometimes he shaded his eyes with his hand -and looked far across this low wet land to see -if perhaps Beppo had strayed into its uncertain<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span> -foothold; but nothing could he see but the waving -rushes and the tall bitterns wading about on -long, yellow legs.</p> - -<p>And still he pressed heedlessly on farther and -farther, till, after a while, he found himself -thrusting through a thick coppice of willow -boughs.</p> - -<p>“Oh,” thought Félix, “what if poor Beppo -has strayed into this woodland!” Tired as he -was, he urged himself on, searching among the -trees; and it was not until he had wandered -on and on, deeper and deeper into the wood, -that he realized that the dusk had fallen, and -that he must be a very, very long way from -Sur Varne.</p> - -<p>Félix then began to grow uneasy. He stood -still and looked anxiously about him; the dark -forest trees closed around him on all sides, and -he was quite unable to remember from which -direction he had entered the wood.</p> - -<p>Now, Félix was really a very brave little fellow, -but it must be owned his heart misgave<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> -him, and he fairly quaked as he peered through -the gathering darkness; for in those days the -forests of Provence were known to harbor -many dangerous animals, especially wild boars -and wolves. He pricked up his ears, and now -and then thought he heard in the distance the -stealthy tread of some four-footed forest -prowler, and once he was sure he caught the -deep howl of a wolf.</p> - -<p>That ended his hesitation. He looked -quickly around, and grasping the low boughs -of a slender sapling, managed to swing himself -up into a tall chestnut tree that grew close -by; and there he clung, clutching the thick -branches with might and main, feeling very -cold and hungry and miserable, his heart all -the while sinking clear down into his little -peasant shoes.</p> - -<p>And indeed he had cause for fear, for, not a -great while after he had thus hidden himself, a -gaunt wolf really did pass close by, sniffing and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span> -peering, till poor Félix gave up all hope of escaping -with his life; but, luckily, the wolf did -not see him, and at last slowly crept on through -the underwood.</p> - -<p>How long the little boy stayed in the perilous -shelter of the chestnut-tree he never knew, -but it seemed untold ages to him. After a -while the moon rose, and shed a faint light -through the close-lapping branches; then, by -and by, Félix’s ears, strained to listen for -every lightest sound, caught the echo of distant -trampling, as of horses’ hoofs, and presently -two horsemen came in sight, pricking -their way cautiously along a narrow bridle-path.</p> - -<p>He did not know whom they might prove to -be, but wisely thinking that anything would be -better than staying in a tree all night at the -mercy of hungry wolves, he waited till the first -rider came quite close, and then he plucked up -courage to call out faintly:</p> - -<p>“Oh, sir, stop, I pray thee!”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span></p> - -<p>At this, the rider, who was none other than -the noble Count Bernard of Bois Varne, quickly -drew rein and, turning, called to his companion:</p> - -<p>“Ho, Brian! Heardest thou aught?”</p> - -<p>“Nay, my Lord,” answered Brian, who was -some paces behind, “naught save the trampling -of our own horses’ hoofs.”</p> - -<p>The count looked all around, and seeing -nothing, thought himself mistaken in the sound, -and began to pace on. Then Félix in terror -gave another shout, this time louder, and at the -same moment a little twig he was pressing with -his elbow broke away and dropped, striking -against the count’s stirrup; for the bridle-path -wound directly under the tree where Félix was -perched.</p> - -<p>The count instantly checked his horse again, -and, peering up into the boughs overhead, he -caught sight of Félix, his yellow hair wet with -dew and shining in the moonlight, and his dark -eyes wide with fear.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/ill-169.jpg" width="400" height="548" - alt="" - title="" /> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Heigh-ho!” exclaimed the count, in blank -amazement. “Upon my word, now! what art -thou—boy or goblin?”</p> - -<p>At this Félix gave a little sob, for he was -very tired and very cold. He hugged the tree -tightly, and steadying himself against the -boughs, at last managed to falter out:</p> - -<p>“Please thee, sir, I am Félix Michaud, and -my lamb Beppo, who was to ride in the Christmas -procession, ran off to-day, and—and—I -have been hunting him, I think, ever since—since -yesterday!” Here poor Félix grew a -trifle bewildered; it seemed to him so very long -ago since he had set out in search of Beppo. -“And I live in Sur Varne.”</p> - -<p>At this the count gave a long whistle.</p> - -<p>“At Sur Varne!” he exclaimed. “If thou -speakest truly, my little man, thou hast indeed -a sturdy pair of legs to carry thee thus -far.” And he eyed curiously Félix’s dusty little -feet and leathern leggings, dangling limply -from the bough above him.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Dost thou know how far distant is Sur -Varne from this forest?”</p> - -<p>“Nay, sir,” answered Félix; “but I trow ’tis -a great way.”</p> - -<p>“There thou art right,” said the count; -“’tis a good two leagues, if it is a pace. But -how now? Thou canst not bide here to become -the prey of hungry wolves, my little -night-owl of the yellow hair!”</p> - -<p>And thereupon Count Bernard dexterously -raised himself in his stirrups, and, reaching upward, -caught Félix in his arms and swung him -down plump on the saddle-bow in front of -him; then, showing him how to steady himself -by holding the pommel, he turned to Brian, his -squire, who while all this was going on had -stood by in silent astonishment, and giving the -order to move, the little cavalcade hastened on -at a rapid pace in order to get clear of the forest -as quickly as possible.</p> - -<p>Meantime the Count Bernard, who was -really a very kind and noble lord, and who<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span> -lived in a beautiful castle on the farther verge of -the forest, quite reassured Félix by talking to -him kindly, and telling him of the six days’ -journey from which he and his squire, Brian, -were just returning, and how they had been delayed -on the way until nightfall.</p> - -<p>“And, by my faith!” said Count Bernard, -“’twas a lucky hour for thee that snapped my -horse’s saddle-girth! else we should have passed -this wood by midday—and then, little popinjay, -what wouldst thou have done had we not -chanced along to pluck thee from out thy chilly -nest? Hey? Wolves had been but poor comrades -for such as thee!”</p> - -<p>At this Félix began to shiver, and the count -hastened to add:</p> - -<p>“Nay, my little man, I did but jest with -thee! Thou shalt sleep this night in the strong -castle of Bois Varne, with not even a mouse -to fret thy yellow head; and, what is more, -thou shalt see the fairest little maid that ever -thou hast set eyes on!”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span></p> - -<p>And then he told him of his little daughter, -the Lady Elinor, and how she would play with -Félix and show him the castle, and how on -the morrow they would see about sending him -home to Sur Varne.</p> - -<p>And all the while the count was talking they -were trotting briskly onward, till by and by -they emerged from the forest and saw towering -near at hand the castle of Bois Varne. The -tall turrets shone and shimmered in the moonlight, -and over the gateway of the drawbridge -hung a lighted cresset—that is, a beautiful -wrought-iron basket, in which blazed a ruddy -torch of oil to light them on their way.</p> - -<p>At sight of this the count and Brian spurred -on their horses, and were soon clattering across -the bridge and into the great paved courtyard. -The count flung his bridle to a little page who -hastened out to meet him, and then, springing -from his saddle, lightly lifted Félix and swung -him to the ground. He then took the boy by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span> -the hand and led him into the great hall of the -castle.</p> - -<p>To Félix this looked marvelously beautiful. -Christmas garlands of myrtle hung on the walls, -and a great pile of freshly cut laurel boughs lay -on a bench, ready for the morrow’s arranging. -But that which took his eyes most of all was -the lovely carving everywhere to be seen. The -benches and tables were covered with it; the -wainscot of the spacious room was richly -adorned; and over and about the wide fireplace -great carved dragons of stone curled their -long tails and spread their wings through a -maze of intricate traceries. Félix was enchanted, -and gazed around till his eyes almost -ached.</p> - -<p>Presently in came running a little girl, laughing -with delight. Bounding up into Count Bernard’s -arms, she hugged and kissed him in true -Provençal fashion. Then, catching sight of -Félix:</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Ah, <i>mon père</i>,” she exclaimed, “and where -foundest thou thy pretty new page?”</p> - -<p>“Nay, sweetheart,” answered the count, -looking down at Félix’s yellow hair, “’tis no -page, but a little goldfinch we found perched in -a chestnut tree as we rode through the forest.”</p> - -<p>Then, smiling at the Lady Elinor’s bewilderment, -he told her the little boy’s story, and she -at once slipped down and greeted him kindly. -Then, clapping her hands with pleasure at finding -a new playmate, she declared he must come -to see the Christmas crèche which she was just -finishing.</p> - -<p>“Not so fast, <i>ma chère</i>!” interposed the -count, “we must sup first, for we are famished -as the wolves we left behind us in the forest.” -And thereupon he called in the steward of the -castle, who soon set out a hearty supper on one -of the long tables.</p> - -<p>Elinor sat close by, eagerly chattering as they -ate, and the moment Félix had swallowed the -last morsel, she seized him by the hand and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span> -hastened across the hall, where her crèche was -built upon a carved bench. The poor little -Lady Elinor had no mother, and her father, the -count, had been gone for several days; and -although in the castle were many serving men -and women and retainers, yet none of these -presumed to dictate to the little mistress; and -so she had put her crèche together in a very -odd fashion.</p> - -<p>“There!” said she, “what thinkest thou of -it, Félix? Of a truth, I fancy somewhat is -wanting, yet I know not how to better it!”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said Félix, bashfully, “it may be I -can help thee.”</p> - -<p>And so he set to work rearranging the little -houses and figures, till he succeeded in giving -a life-like air to the crèche, and Lady Elinor -danced with delight.</p> - -<p>While placing the little manger he happened -to remember the figure of the Christ Child still -in his blouse pocket; this he timidly took out -and showed the little girl, who was charmed,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> -and still more so when he drew forth a small -wooden sheep and a dog, which were also in -the same pocket, and which he begged her to -keep.</p> - -<p>The Lady Elinor was so carried away with -joy that she flew to the side of the count, and, -grasping both his hands, dragged him across -the room to show him the crèche and the wonderful -figures carved by Félix. Félix himself -was covered with confusion when he saw the -count coming, and would gladly have run from -the hall, but that was impossible; so he stood -still, his eyes averted and his face crimson.</p> - -<p>“See, <i>mon père</i>!” said Elinor, “see this, -and this!” And she held up the carvings for -the count’s inspection.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/ill-179.jpg" width="400" height="614" - alt="" - title="" /> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span></p> - -<p>Count Bernard, who had good-naturedly -crossed the room to please his daughter, now -opened his eyes wide with surprise. He took -the little figures she handed him and examined -them closely, for he was a good judge of artistic -work of this kind. Then he looked at Félix, -and at length he said:</p> - -<p>“Well, little forest bird, who taught thee the -carver’s craft?”</p> - -<p>“No one, sir,” faltered Félix; “indeed, I -wish, above all things, to learn of the Père Videau, -the master carver; but my father says I -must be a shepherd, as he is.”</p> - -<p>Here a tear rolled down Félix’s cheek, for -he was half frightened and terribly tired.</p> - -<p>“Well, well,” said the count, “never mind! -Thou art weary, little one; we will talk of this -more on the morrow. ’Tis high time now that -both of you were sound asleep. Hey, there! -Jean! Jacques! Come hither and take care of -this little lad, and see to it that he hath a soft -bed and a feather pillow!”</p> - -<p>The next morning the children ate a merry -breakfast together, and after it Count Bernard -took Félix aside and asked him many questions -of his life and his home. Then, by and by,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> -knowing how anxious the boy’s parents would -be, he ordered his trusty squire, Brian, to saddle -a horse and conduct Félix back to Sur -Varne.</p> - -<p>Meantime the little Lady Elinor begged hard -that he stay longer in the castle for her playfellow, -and was quite heartbroken when she saw the -horse standing ready in the courtyard. Indeed, -she would not be satisfied until her father, the -count, who could not bear to see her unhappy, -had promised to take her over some day to see -Félix in Sur Varne. Then she smiled and made a -pretty farewell courtesy, and suddenly snatching -from her dark hair a crimson ribbon of Lyons -taffeta, she tied it about Félix’s sleeve, declaring:</p> - -<p>“There! thou must keep this token, and -be my little knight!” for the Lady Elinor had -many lofty notions in her small curly head.</p> - -<p>Félix could only stammer out an embarrassed -good by, for in the presence of this lively little -maid he found himself quaking more than when<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span> -he feared the terrible wolves of the forest. In -another moment Brian lifted him to the saddle, -and, springing up behind, took the bridle-rein, -and off they went.</p> - -<p>When, after several hours’ riding, they drew -near Sur Varne, Félix showed Brian the way -to the Michaud cottage, and you can fancy how -overjoyed were the Père and Misè to see the -travelers; for they had been nearly beside themselves -with grief, and had searched all night for -their little son.</p> - -<p>Of course almost the first question Félix -asked was about Beppo, and he felt a great -load taken off his mind when he learned that -the little truant, who really had not strayed -very far from the village, had been found and -brought home by one of the shepherds, and was -even then penned up safe and sound in the -sheepfold.</p> - -<p>After a good night’s sleep Félix was quite -rested from his journey. He was busy the next -day in helping to garland the Yule log, in giving<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span> -Ninette and Beppo an extra scrubbing and -brushing, and in all the final happy preparations -for the great holiday.</p> - -<p>And so Christmas Eve came. It was a -lovely starlit night, and on all sides one could -hear the beautiful Christmas songs of old Provence, -that all the peasants and the children sing -as they troop along the roads on their way to -the great church of the village; for thither every -one flocks as the expected hour draws on.</p> - -<p>Within the church all was a blaze of light; -hundreds of tall wax tapers shone and twinkled -and shed their golden glow over the altar, and -a wonderful crèche with its manger and almost -life-size figures stood on another special altar -of its own.</p> - -<p>Then presently the stately service began, and -went on with song and incense, and the sweet -chanting of children’s voices, till suddenly from -the upper tower of the church a joyous peal -of bells rang in the midnight! All at once, -through the dense throng of worshipers nearest<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span> -the door a pathway opened, and in came four -peasants playing on pipes and flutes and flageolets -a quaint old air made up nearly three hundred -years before by good King René for just -such a ceremony as was to follow.</p> - -<p>After the pipers walked ten shepherds, two -by two, each wearing a long brown cloak, and -carrying a staff and lighted candle; that is, all -save the first two, and these bore, one a basket -of fruit, melons and grapes and pears of sunny -Provence, while the other held in his hands a -pair of pretty white pigeons with rose-colored -eyes and soft, fluttering wings.</p> - -<p>And then, behind the shepherds came—what -do you suppose?—Ninette! Ninette, her fleece -shining like snow, a garland of laurel and -myrtle about her neck, and twigs of holly nodding -behind her ears; while bound about her -woolly shoulders a little harness of scarlet -leather shone against the white with dazzling -effect; and fastened to the harness, and trundling -along at Ninette’s heels, came the gayest<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span> -of little wooden carts. It was painted in the -brightest colors. Its wheels were wrapped -with garlands, and in it, curled up in a fat -fleecy ball, lay Beppo! Tied about his neck -in a huge bow was a crimson ribbon of Lyons -taffeta, with a sprig of holly tucked into its -loops.</p> - -<p>Beppo lay quite still, looking about him with -a bewildered, half-dazed expression, and just -behind his cart came ten more shepherds with -staves and candles, while following them was -a great throng of peasant folk and children, -among them Félix, all carrying lighted tapers, -and radiant with delight; for this was the Procession -of the Offered Lamb, and to walk in -its train was considered by all the greatest honor -and privilege.</p> - -<p>And especially did the shepherd folk love the -beautiful old custom which for centuries the -people of Provence had cherished in memory of -the time, long ago, when the real Christ Child -lay in the manger of Bethlehem, and the shepherds<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> -of Judea sought him out to worship him, -and to offer him their fruits and lambs as gifts.</p> - -<p>And so, on, up the long aisle, the procession -slowly moved; the pipers playing, and Ninette -marching solemnly along, only now and then -pausing to thrust her nose between the Père -Michaud and his companion, who walked directly -in front of her. Ninette pattered on as -if she had trod the floors of churches all her -life; and as for Beppo, only once did he stir, -and then he gave a faint “Baa!” and tried to -uncurl himself and stand up; but just then the -queer little cart gave a joggle which quite upset -his shaky lamb legs, and down he sank, and -kept quiet throughout the rest of the time.</p> - -<p>When the procession reached the altar the -musicians stopped playing, and the first two -shepherds, kneeling, presented the pigeons and -the basket of fruit; and then the little cart was -wheeled up so as to bring Beppo directly in -front of all, and the whole company knelt as -the priest blessed the offerings.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span></p> - -<p>After this beautiful ceremony which ended the -service, the players again struck up King René’s -tune, and the procession, shepherds, Ninette, -Beppo, peasants, and all, once more moved on, -this time down the outer aisle and toward the -great open portal.</p> - -<p>It took some time for the last of its followers -to reach the doorway, for the throng was very -great; but at length Félix, who had marched -with the children in the last group, came to the -threshold and stepped out into the starry night.</p> - -<p>He stood for a moment smiling and gazing -aimlessly ahead, overwhelmed with the glory -of all that had passed within the church. Presently -he felt some one pluck his sleeve, and -turning round, he met the dancing eyes of the -little Lady Elinor.</p> - -<p>She gave a little peal of laughter at his surprise, -and exclaimed: “Oh, I coaxed <i>mon père</i>, -the count, to fetch me hither for this blessed -night. Thou knowest he promised! I rode -my white palfrey all the way by the side of his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span> -big brown horse. And I have seen the procession, -and Beppo with my red ribbon round -his neck.” Here she gave another little gurgle -of delight.</p> - -<p>“And oh, Félix, my father hath seen thine, -and ’tis all settled! Thou art to be a famous -carver with the Père Videau, as thou wishest,”—for -the Lady Elinor had unbounded faith in -Félix’s powers, “and, Félix,” she added, -“I trow ’twas the little Christ Child for thy -crèche that did it!”</p> - -<p>Then, with a merry smile, she darted off to -her father, the Count Bernard, who was waiting -for her down the church path.</p> - -<p>For a little while after she had gone Félix -did not move, but stood as one in a dream. -Elinor’s sweet words, ringing in his ears, mingled -with the glad songs the peasants were -again singing on their homeward way, till altogether -he did not quite know whether he was -awake or asleep, but only felt an indistinct notion -that some wonderful fairy, who had the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span> -face of a little maid he knew, had whispered in -his ear something that was to make him happy -forever.</p> - -<p>Presently a loud bleat close at his side startled -him, and looking down, he saw that Ninette, -decked in her gay garlands, and still dragging -the be-ribboned Beppo in the little cart, had -broken away from the Père Michaud and come -close up to himself.</p> - -<p>Then, with a sudden movement, he stooped -over, and, seizing Beppo in both arms, hugged -and squeezed him till poor Beppo squeaked -with surprise, and opened his red mouth and -gasped for breath. But Félix only hugged him -the harder, murmuring under his breath, “Bless -thy little heart, Beppo! Bless thy little heart!” -For in a vague way he realized that the truant -lamb had somehow brought him his heart’s desire, -and that was quite enough Christmas happiness -for one year.</p> - -<p>And the little Lady Elinor was right, too. -Years after, when Félix grew to be a man, he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> -did, in very truth, become a “famous carver,” -as she had declared.</p> - -<p>Far surpassing his first master, the Père -Videau, he traveled and worked in many cities; -yet never, through all his long life, did he forget -that Christmas Eve in the little village of Sur -Varne.</p> - -<p>Those who knew him best said that among -his dearest treasures he always kept a beautifully -carved little box, and in it a bit of faded -crimson ribbon from the looms of Lyons. -While, as for Beppo—well, if ever some happy -day you chance to visit the lovely land of Provence, -perhaps you will see a certain grand old -cathedral in the ancient city of Arles; and, if -you do, look sharp at the figure of a lamb -chiseled in white stone over the great portal. -Look well, I say, for Félix, when he carved it, -would have told you that he was thinking all -the while of Beppo.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES:</h2> - -<div class="transnote"> - -<p class="ptn">—Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected.</p> - -<p class="ptn">—The cover image has been created by the project manager -of this book, used by transcriber and and placed in public domain.</p> -</div></div> - -</div> - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Troubadour Tales, by Evaleen Stein - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TROUBADOUR TALES *** - -***** This file should be named 50268-h.htm or 50268-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/0/2/6/50268/ - -Produced by Giovanni Fini, David Edwards and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, -set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to -copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to -protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project -Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you -charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you -do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the -rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose -such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and -research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do -practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is -subject to the trademark license, especially commercial -redistribution. - - - -*** START: FULL LICENSE *** - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project -Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at -http://gutenberg.org/license). - - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy -all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. -If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the -terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or -entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement -and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" -or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the -collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an -individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are -located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from -copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative -works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg -are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project -Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by -freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of -this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with -the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by -keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project -Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in -a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check -the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement -before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or -creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project -Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning -the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United -States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate -access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently -whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, -copied or distributed: - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived -from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is -posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied -and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees -or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work -with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the -work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 -through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the -Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or -1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional -terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked -to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the -permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any -word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or -distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than -"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version -posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), -you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a -copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon -request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other -form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided -that - -- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is - owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he - has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the - Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments - must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you - prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax - returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and - sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the - address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to - the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." - -- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or - destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium - and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of - Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any - money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days - of receipt of the work. - -- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set -forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from -both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael -Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the -Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm -collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain -"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or -corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual -property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a -computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by -your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with -your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with -the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a -refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity -providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to -receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy -is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further -opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER -WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO -WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. -If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the -law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be -interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by -the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any -provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance -with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, -promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, -harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, -that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do -or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm -work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any -Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. - - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers -including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists -because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from -people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need, are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. -To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation -and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 -and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. - - -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive -Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at -http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent -permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. -Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered -throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at -809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email -business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact -information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official -page at http://pglaf.org - -For additional contact information: - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To -SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any -particular state visit http://pglaf.org - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. -To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate - - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm -concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared -with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project -Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. - - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. -unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily -keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. - - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: - - http://www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. - - -</pre> - -</body> -</html> diff --git a/old/50268-h/images/cover.jpg b/old/50268-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index dc5b166..0000000 --- a/old/50268-h/images/cover.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/50268-h/images/fr.jpg b/old/50268-h/images/fr.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 909dcbc..0000000 --- a/old/50268-h/images/fr.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/50268-h/images/ill-053.jpg b/old/50268-h/images/ill-053.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 110be91..0000000 --- a/old/50268-h/images/ill-053.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/50268-h/images/ill-079.jpg b/old/50268-h/images/ill-079.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 8a1575f..0000000 --- a/old/50268-h/images/ill-079.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/50268-h/images/ill-127.jpg b/old/50268-h/images/ill-127.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 9f5a711..0000000 --- a/old/50268-h/images/ill-127.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/50268-h/images/ill-147.jpg b/old/50268-h/images/ill-147.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 0ff8931..0000000 --- a/old/50268-h/images/ill-147.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/50268-h/images/ill-157.jpg b/old/50268-h/images/ill-157.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 5f4f180..0000000 --- a/old/50268-h/images/ill-157.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/50268-h/images/ill-169.jpg b/old/50268-h/images/ill-169.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 2a4014a..0000000 --- a/old/50268-h/images/ill-169.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/50268-h/images/ill-179.jpg b/old/50268-h/images/ill-179.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 46b0383..0000000 --- a/old/50268-h/images/ill-179.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/50268-h/images/title.jpg b/old/50268-h/images/title.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index ce36491..0000000 --- a/old/50268-h/images/title.jpg +++ /dev/null |
